The Secret Tax Hiding in Plain Sight!

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  • Опубліковано 10 чер 2024
  • SUPPORT us on PATREON: / twocentspbsds
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    You're paying a secret tax every year... not just to the government, but also to your insurance company, your phone provider, even your employer!
    sources:
    www.theatlantic.com/politics/...
    www.nber.org/papers/w28877
    themonkeycage.org/2011/02/the...
    www.princeton.edu/news/2013/0...
    www.propublica.org/article/th...
    www.npr.org/sections/coronavi...
    www.bloomberg.com/news/featur...
    www.nationalaffairs.com/publi...
    www.americanprogress.org/arti...
    • Administrative Burden:...
    balancingeverything.com/welfa...
    time.com/4711668/history-food...
    www.salon.com/2021/04/04/welf...
    www.attendanceondemand.com/bl...
    Two Cents is hosted by Philip Olson, CFP® and Julia Lorenz-Olson, AFC®
    Directors: Katie Graham & Andrew Matthews
    Written by: Andrew Matthews
    Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
    Produced by: Katie Graham
    Edited & Animated by: Dano Johnson
    Fact checker: Yvonne McGreevy
    Executive in Charge for PBS: Maribel Lopez
    Director of Programming: Gabrielle Ewing
    Assistant Director of Programming for PBS: John Campbell
    Images by: Shutterstock
    Music by: APM
    Two Cents is produced by Spotzen for PBS

КОМЕНТАРІ • 425

  • @oniciamuller
    @oniciamuller Рік тому +308

    As a housewife, I can confirm that administrative burden is almost a part-tome job. Last year I spent 20 hours (no exaggeration) on the phone trying yo get approved for a covered Healthcare service. I eventually gave up and just paid out of pocket. So mad.

    • @luisfilipe2023
      @luisfilipe2023 Рік тому +6

      If it’s not too intrusive to ask why did it take so long? Were they asking too many questions or did you fail to understand the procedure?

    • @richardmenz3257
      @richardmenz3257 Рік тому +8

      @@luisfilipe2023 or people lied. Said documents wasn’t there that was. If you ever worked in a health insurance office you see how shady things can be. Also if the person was doing it wrong, why is it so if and or but on what covered that doctors get pre approval and later say that wasn’t approved because x y and z wasn’t done. If people with phd cannot follow the process right how can an average American.

    • @JoaoSilva22222
      @JoaoSilva22222 Рік тому +8

      It´s cheaper to save, get on a plane, go to Mexico and get treatment there.

    • @applebanana9375
      @applebanana9375 9 місяців тому +1

      @@luisfilipe2023 possibly she failed to understand, I mean most housewifes are not that bright about paperworks and shits.

    • @stalemarshmallow9466
      @stalemarshmallow9466 8 місяців тому +2

      ​@@applebanana9375I'm proud of you. If you keep practicing like you are now, you'll eventually be able to fully read and write English.

  • @hannahweaver6036
    @hannahweaver6036 Рік тому +138

    A year ago I helped my boyfriend get his unemployment benefits from 2020 that he didn't get because the process was too complicated... it took about a month and dozens of phone calls, many nights without much sleep and me feeling like i'd had a heart attack. It was awful... yet 100% worth it. Things need to change.

  • @justinbowman2126
    @justinbowman2126 Рік тому +400

    Phil has completed his transformation from looking like my dad to rockstar

    • @momane8434
      @momane8434 Рік тому +36

      Right? From dad to daddy 🥵

    • @forrestbaker1196
      @forrestbaker1196 Рік тому +38

      Dude looks like he’s in a metalcore band now lol

    • @ryanw6493
      @ryanw6493 Рік тому +25

      I have a theory that they came from very strict religious backgrounds and have been deconstructing and finding their authentic selves… and I get that, rock on!

    • @blackguyofthesouth2161
      @blackguyofthesouth2161 Рік тому +1

      Reminds me of the cartoon My Dad the Rockstar 😂

    • @thedopplereffect00
      @thedopplereffect00 Рік тому +25

      It just looks messy, lazy, and unprofessional. Kind of like their political ideology.

  • @Rex_Cosmos
    @Rex_Cosmos Рік тому +23

    I worked at a nonprofit that dealt with enrolling people in government sponsored childcare benefits and the application we had people fill out was about 16 pages long, not including the portions with just rules on them.

  • @kellykent131
    @kellykent131 Рік тому +75

    This video was informative and depressing at the same time.
    The government puts out requirements to the citizens and makes it time consuming and difficult to meet the requirements.

  • @joelthechapin
    @joelthechapin Рік тому +62

    That comment about the time it takes to call the permit office is real. I am trying to build a retail store in Virginia and literally just got off the phone with them right before watching this episode. This was probably the 27th time in the last 3 months that I have had to call them about a tiny minutia of bureaucratic detail that wasn't clear and was holding up my permit. Each time, I have to wait on the phone so long since their callback feature never seems to work. I have probably spent 2 entire workweeks over the last 3 months trying to get this building permit done.

    • @sety409
      @sety409 Рік тому

      You really are trying to "pick yourself up by the bootstraps", help the economy, call it what you'd like and this is how you're treated. F the government.

    • @nicholaskeith6614
      @nicholaskeith6614 Рік тому +5

      My boss has been trying to get permits for the new liquor store building to replace the current building he owns. He has been trying since 2019 to these permits.

    • @chowsquid
      @chowsquid Рік тому +3

      Someday he’ll pass on that permit burden to his grand sons and grand daughters

    • @nicholaskeith6614
      @nicholaskeith6614 Рік тому

      @@chowsquid 🤣🤣

    • @willywallette
      @willywallette Рік тому +3

      I know it doesn't solve the problem but if you have a Pixel phone you can use the "hold for me" feature which allows you to multitask by putting the phone on hold and then plays a loud sound when the person you're calling finally answers (ua-cam.com/video/sBTCJUZlHdA/v-deo.html). It's also kind of satisfying to be able to put THEM on hold if you're not quite ready to answer.

  • @jiffyb333
    @jiffyb333 Рік тому +61

    Thank you for addressing this. Disability programs are horrendous for people who are already struggling.

    • @edwardrhoads7283
      @edwardrhoads7283 Рік тому +4

      My dad after the ADA act declared him disabled had to sue the state of washington to get his benefits.

  • @she3esh
    @she3esh Рік тому +15

    Here in Australia the tax form is online and pre filled with almost everything and you just need to report what they miss. Taxes are easy to deal with and can be done in under an hour

  • @slateization
    @slateization Рік тому +111

    So glad you are doing an episode on this!! We need to teach us in the middle class how so many states put so many hoops between citizens and the benefits they are entitled to

    • @Josh-179
      @Josh-179 Рік тому

      Other than Social Security and Medicare that you pay into all your life, you're not "entitled" to anything.

    • @deestupi
      @deestupi Рік тому +1

      ​@@Josh-179 taxes pay for everything including government programs. Therefore if the program exists and one qualifies then they are entitled to that benefit. I understand you may not agree to having those programs in the first place but that's a whole nother conversation

    • @Josh-179
      @Josh-179 Рік тому

      @@deestupi , There's a misunderstanding of what I mean by entitled. Legally, yes you are entitled by qualifying for assistance because the government has implemented that. My money forced into government to give to someone else is legalized theft. Your only entitlement is life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Much of the planet doesn't even have that. You're not even entitled to food, water, clothes, and shelter just because you were born. Our society has just seen to it that most people are provided these things if you can't afford it. But it's not a human right. I mentioned SS and Medicare as the exception in the context of paid entitlements because there's a separate line item on your taxes for those specific things. All other welfare assistance comes out of general taxes on a discretionary basis.

    • @deestupi
      @deestupi Рік тому +2

      @@Josh-179 that's your opinion. If enough is produced in this country for everyone to be fed clothed sheltered and have healthcare then i do not care what means we use to guarantee those things. It could be taxes, it could also be employers paying their employees more. You call our tax system legalized theft but i disagree with you. The tax system is an agreement between the governed and the those governing. Now you and i differ of what those agreements should consist. So luckily we can vote for representatives and referendums to change those agreements. As far as what other countries have or don't have i find that countries with higher taxes and great government systems have better education rates, mortality rates, and better health overall.

    • @foxfx8340
      @foxfx8340 Рік тому

      @@Josh-179 You're very contrarian aren't you.

  • @Saylor28
    @Saylor28 Рік тому +10

    As a government employee, I feel this down to my core. I work for Social Services. As much as the clients don't like the bureaucracy, the employees don't like it either. We unfortunately don't make the policy and have to go through all the bs just to get the cases authorized. It's a two way street of exhaustion.

  • @adamkalb1
    @adamkalb1 Рік тому +5

    I know how annoying and cumbersome it is to fill out paperwork like this, but I never knew you could call it a time tax until now.

  • @raynitaylor1912
    @raynitaylor1912 Рік тому +37

    I feel like I just watched a man age younger. Philip started off looking like a typical middle class dad in his 40s and now looks like a 18 year old high school senior.
    Not judging him, I like his style, just a bit of a surprise is all.

    • @austinhernandez2716
      @austinhernandez2716 Рік тому

      Maybe just exploring himself more.

    • @Steve_Edberg
      @Steve_Edberg 10 місяців тому

      I think he kinda looks like Howard Wolowitz now. 😂

  • @Asharra12
    @Asharra12 Рік тому +5

    I grew up poor and on government benefits and as an adult, I still am on government benefits until my husband finishes his medical degree and training. I am so grateful for the time my mother spent figuring out the welfare and rental system and educating me. I've already avoided a bunch of traps and gotten benefits I likely wouldn't have known about. It still sucks time out of my life every single week, but at least it's a lot less time than it would've been.

  • @FinancialShinanigan
    @FinancialShinanigan Рік тому +69

    Respect to Philip's neck for supporting his right-sided hair

    • @MyspacHor911
      @MyspacHor911 Рік тому +13

      Is this the guy with the mustache?

    • @jcbigboy
      @jcbigboy Рік тому +8

      @@MyspacHor911 yes, the same person 😅

    • @mallew32
      @mallew32 Рік тому +1

      It’s giving “tonight will be the night that I fall for you,” and I really love it lol.

  • @avocadomonkey4892
    @avocadomonkey4892 Рік тому +77

    Other countries don't put the burden of figuring out taxes on individuals. In Japan, for example, all the taxes are figured out by the government, which already has much of the information we have to "file" via taxes, such as our wages, benefits, etc. Thank you for these amazing and helpful videos!

    • @HH-le1vi
      @HH-le1vi Рік тому

      Our government has the same information for workers. They're just trying to catch people lying so they can get em for tax fraud.

    • @qj0n
      @qj0n Рік тому +7

      In Poland, as long as you're just a regular employee, that's also the case. However, there are several tax deductions, which the government wouldn't know you want to use (you can deduct charity, house thermomodernization or even internet connection fees) so it's again the bureaucracy preventing from executing your rights

    • @weird-guy
      @weird-guy Рік тому +2

      I same for my country, we have an automatic irs, if you want tax deductions then you can confirm your receipts online, or file them manually.
      we pay an accountant is only 15€

    • @n_u001
      @n_u001 Рік тому

      as youve seen, its a billion dollar industry. turbo tax aint gonna like this and they lobby against easier tax laws.

    • @bishop51807
      @bishop51807 Рік тому

      Heck even France has return free filing. When you look in to it, the only reason why this system exist in the U.S, is the same reason why Medicare and everything else is screwed up. Because of greedy people at the top, thought they could take more money.

  • @George89999
    @George89999 Рік тому +49

    I'm glad you uploaded this video but I think you missed an opportunity (at least in this video, you might have mentioned it elsewhere). Specifically I'm referring to how the reason why paying income taxes in the USA is so complicated is because tax preparation companies lobby Congress to prevent making it easier like other countries do. It's a deliberate effort by these large corporations to make it more difficult so US citizens instead pay them to help with it. IMO it is a form of legalized extortion.

    • @WoefulMinion
      @WoefulMinion Рік тому +8

      Thank you for bringing this up. The IRS came up with a great plan for everyone to be able to file their taxes online for free. Better for citizens, better for the IRS. But tax preparers lobbied to run the program through tax preparation companies. They set their own rules on who can file for free and who will need to pay extra to e-file.

    • @George89999
      @George89999 Рік тому +5

      @@WoefulMinion Exactly, and even then the tax preparation companies still try to dishonestly stear people away from the free services they ofter.

    • @WoefulMinion
      @WoefulMinion Рік тому +1

      @@George89999 Of course... 🙄

    • @joeb1522
      @joeb1522 9 місяців тому

      I mostly disagree. The primary reasons are that 1) politicians are lobbied by many industries, and then politicians carve out special interests, and 2) the bigger reason is politicians want to make it more complicated to show their "accomplishments". For example, the Trump and Biden administrations have both added numerous new taxes that, for the most part, could have been handled much easier (such as raising or lowering the rate or repealing loopholes). Some of the new taxes include global intangible low taxed income, foreign derived intangible income, transition tax, base erosion and profit shifting tax, stock buy back tax, and global minimum tax.

    • @George89999
      @George89999 9 місяців тому

      @@joeb1522 Respectfully I think you missed part of my point. As we both agree, yes industries lobby Congress for there own interests. But in the case of tax preparation companies they have *demonstrably* lobbied Congress specifically for the intention of making paying taxes more difficult and complicated for citizens. Why? Because their own profits depend on most of the work being put in the taxpayers themselves so they'll prefer to pay the tax prep companies instead.
      Another problem with your argument is that while taxes are complicated just about everywhere, in most other industrialized countries the income tax system is *much simpler* and more convenient for their citizens compared to the USA. This is because in these other countries much of the work is done on the government's side instead of putting it on the citizens. It's in a way roughly analogous to how in the USA the medical system is also much more complicated, costly, and usually produces inferior results. These are deliberate inefficiencies built into the US systems to maximize the profits of special interests at the cost of the poor and middle classes.

  • @MBMCincy63
    @MBMCincy63 Рік тому +10

    Thank you for this video, very true about the "time tax" .
    I dread when I have to call and submit changes for my Medicaid. Long, annoying wait time on phone, and then usually a rude person.

  • @MsSamareh
    @MsSamareh Рік тому +5

    Thank you for bringing attention to this. The benefits that are meant to help you often become so burdensome that they keep you stuck in poverty.

  • @prettypic444
    @prettypic444 Рік тому +8

    THANK YOU for discussing how unfairly the system can be weighed for people seeking aid. My mother and I had to to take off multiple days of school/work just to get me qualified for our state level disabled assistance program so I could get funding/support for college!

  • @mochaest1994
    @mochaest1994 Рік тому +7

    I’ve been living off food stamps for a couple of years now. It is a lot of paperwork. I’m working to break away from the system and have financial freedoms

  • @sprinkle61
    @sprinkle61 Рік тому +11

    Another reason governments are a hassle to deal with is they basically have no skin in the game. Governments have no incentive to serve the people better, because they can't lose 'customers' to a rival government, especially if the services are for the poor. And even when they can lose citizens, like rich people leaving, they can write laws that punish people for leaving for better jurisdictions, so they write the rules so they don't have to deal with any competition, while at the same time enforcing antitrust laws against corporations, while being the biggest actual monopoly themselves !

    • @akttt9876
      @akttt9876 Рік тому +1

      The government is the people (for the people of the people etc). Their skin in the game is the well-being of everyone. The more people who are happy and healthy to work the more tax they can get to help others back to work. In theory anyway ..

    • @sprinkle61
      @sprinkle61 Рік тому +1

      @@akttt9876 Its more of a tragedy of the commons, than any kind of general altruism. Maybe government people like the fame of some kind of 'national success' in general, but when the numbers get too large, its all just statistics, and its impossible to care for individuals, so they really don't care about you, unless you actually show up in their office and they can't just ignore your problems.

    • @Josh-179
      @Josh-179 Рік тому

      I've always said this which is why you want government doing the least things possible. Always better for the private sector to be getting things done. Once the government gets a hold of it, it'll be extremely inefficient, take forever, and be a worse job.

    • @thedopplereffect00
      @thedopplereffect00 Рік тому

      @@akttt9876 is that why 50% of earners pay zero net taxes?

    • @akttt9876
      @akttt9876 Рік тому

      @@thedopplereffect00 where did you get 50% from? My perspective is from my own understanding that governments should be in service to the people they represent. If the taxation system is unjust it should be fixed and I would vote accordingly.

  • @emeraldelneon328
    @emeraldelneon328 Рік тому +32

    The intro reminded me to do my own taxes, so I did them in less than 15 minutes and then returned to the video to hear that in the US they take 11 hours.
    As a student with a parttime job, I am incredibly thankful that my government already fills in everything they know about me (like my income from the job) and just asks me 'hey is this correct, did you switch jobs/have a kid/get married etc' and when these changes are added I am done.
    I now know that I will be refunded just over a hunderd euro's in overpaid taxes.
    And all it took was going to the site, saying 'nope nothing changed, still a broke student' and now in a month or so I will have my money back.
    It is kind of amazing yet sad that your system is this way. I hope you all get through it okay.

    • @Iffy50
      @Iffy50 Рік тому +7

      How long it takes to do taxes does vary in the U.S. I used to do my own taxes when I was young and it took about an hour. Once you have a lot of deductions (children, interest payments on a home, etc.) it gets much more complicated if you want to be sure you aren't leaving money on the table. (paying more tax than you have to) So, what country are you in?

    • @MzShonuff123
      @MzShonuff123 Рік тому +3

      I have an actual question: what purpose did this comment would serve? This is equivalent of me going to India or similar in the summer and saying “Too bad the heat is so bad due to climate change! We have air conditioning EVERYwhere in the States! It’s so much better!” What would add to the conversation, exactly? And how would I be anything less than smug in this scenario?

    • @SoybeanAK
      @SoybeanAK Рік тому +3

      Only way this changes is is we get the big money out of U.S. politics, so, yeah. HR Block, Intuit, et.al. spend $Millions lobbying the government NOT to just streamline the process here, so we Americans have to spend money with them navigating the bureaucracy for us.

    • @SoybeanAK
      @SoybeanAK Рік тому +6

      @@MzShonuff123 Lot of Americans aren't aware that we're unique in this. Hopefully it leads folks to question why we put up with this, and push politicians to reject HR Block's lobbying and fix the problem. (Hopefully, if not likely.) This is a man-made problem, and one with a simple fix.

    • @emeraldelneon328
      @emeraldelneon328 Рік тому +2

      @@MzShonuff123 I am sorry you read it that way.
      I guess it was mostly meant as first a thanks for reminding me to Two Cents.
      But also I guess I just learned that my system is apparently a lot better than I thought it was. So maybe I was trying to empathise with all the people who have to deal with this (for me) new and shitty system.
      Honestly idk what purpose my comment had, it was just a thought I felt like sharing. I am just a young person trying to learn finance-y things on the internet.

  • @cynthiar3444
    @cynthiar3444 Рік тому +1

    My HMO regularly denied the first claim I put in. So, I just started making duplicates of the paperwork. They always took the second one. But what a waste of my time!

  • @dyskelia
    @dyskelia Рік тому +4

    I recent having to spend time to get made up in the morning and drive to work. My employer does not pay for that. I do. Remote work really highlighted that fact.

  • @loganlopez1617
    @loganlopez1617 Рік тому +1

    I remember a presentation I did for my American Government class was also that politicians like bureaucracy because they have staffers that can "cut through the red tape" and become conduits through the burden which gives them free brownie points with the individual constituent and makes for a good story of how the congressman "helped the little guy" out through the problems they were having.

  • @catherinebaldwin6580
    @catherinebaldwin6580 Рік тому +9

    Wow, I guess I never realized that. I’m on SSI and SNAP, and I just figured the government was doing it’s job. SNAP is a snap to keep up with, but SSI is definitely harder. It took 11 months to apply to SSI because my code number was deleted at the approval place, and had to be resend. But, It happened, and I’m happy we did.

  • @jameshowlett1546
    @jameshowlett1546 Рік тому +5

    Thank you SO MUCH for explaining that everyone gets money from the government in one way or another.

    • @Josh-179
      @Josh-179 Рік тому +1

      I don't. But what I give them is astronomical.

    • @thedopplereffect00
      @thedopplereffect00 Рік тому

      I've been giving them money my entire life, when is it my turn?

  • @novalinnhe
    @novalinnhe Рік тому +4

    Just wanted to say that you two are awesome people! Thank you for bringing awareness to this issue. Xx

  • @laurenthomas7074
    @laurenthomas7074 Рік тому +13

    In Australia you can go online and the government *pre-fills* the tax return for you - for a lot of people they just need to read, adjust if necessary and click to submit!

    • @Snowshowslow
      @Snowshowslow Рік тому +2

      Same in the Netherlands. But a lot of the systems put in place to help the poor and the disabled out are still (a bit of) a hassle. I think a large factor in maintaining this is also the shame associated with this type of help as opposed to programs available to the rich. If you're told you should feel bad for being in a certain program and you have less political clout as a group anyway, you're less likely to call attention to and protest the unfair burdens it places on you.

    • @weird-guy
      @weird-guy Рік тому

      Same here, if you are lower than a certain wage you don’t even need to nothing

  • @ninjaguysith
    @ninjaguysith Рік тому +12

    I have a feeling that it comes down to some people having a fundamental idea that poor people are lazy and that making them jump thru hoops to get help is a test of some sort. Or this idea that, if it was hard for me to get where I am today, I'm going to make sure that others have to pay their dues.

    • @thedopplereffect00
      @thedopplereffect00 Рік тому

      Sounds like a good dose of equity to me!

    • @Josh-179
      @Josh-179 Рік тому +1

      Getting government benefits should be hard. Sorry. I've worked an average of 50-60 hours a week all my life to not go to the government.

    • @ninjaguysith
      @ninjaguysith Рік тому

      @@Josh-179 if you're working 50 to 60 hours a week just to get by, you know there are government benefits that could possibly help you if only they weren't so hard to apply for. Also there are lots of other countries who spread benefits much better than we do here. And they're not even paying that much more in taxes.

    • @Josh-179
      @Josh-179 Рік тому

      @@ninjaguysith , it's not just to get by but to make 6-figures. Most successful people work that many hours. Most poor people think that people who make a lot of money aren't the "working class" when in fact they work the hardest. Hence the successful part.

  • @eolill
    @eolill Рік тому +1

    I knew there was a lot of this administrative burden for "poor people" benefits... but I had never considered how "rich peope benefits" like IRAs were easy to get and also a government handout.
    If we're giving EVERYONE tax cuts for saving for retirement, even people who don't need it, why not give EVERYONE food stamps?
    Mind blown.

  • @I.____.....__...__
    @I.____.....__...__ Рік тому +2

    I'm reminded of how companies such as ISPs will make it extremely easy to sign up for services with as little as a couple of clicks, as well as to increase your services, but to reduce or cancel services, they force you to phone a call-center and sit on hold for an hour in order to try to make you give up and abandon the attempt before you finally get to a "customer-retention agent" who tries to pressure you into not cancelling and tries to actually upsell you instead. If the government hasn't made that blatant violation illegal, then it certainly won't make its own dark-patterns illegal. 😒

    • @I.____.....__...__
      @I.____.....__...__ Рік тому

      (Since others are giving personal anecdotes, I'll throw mine in as well. After graduating, I applied for interest-relief on my student-loans, but they kept sending it back with a complaint about something being wrong or incomplete or whatever again and again, only pointing out on problem each time instead of highlighting everything once, waiting a few weeks each time, until the deadline passed. That was definitely not Hanlon's Razor, it was intentional. 😠)

  • @ellisonrhea4854
    @ellisonrhea4854 Рік тому +1

    Many of these resources aren't budgeted to help everyone who is eligible. This 'tax' helps maintain the narrative that the most worthy are the ones getting the spots in the programs. Those who waited their turn, those who tried the hardest, those who wanted it most. Americans are obsessed with making poor people earn and prove their right to exist.

  • @ryanjohnson7245
    @ryanjohnson7245 Рік тому +2

    Ah, the joy of living in a sociopathic society. Thank you both for highlighting this serious problem.

  • @fmaz1952
    @fmaz1952 Рік тому +2

    Anyone ever dealt with Mail In Rebate? They design it for people to fail or give up.

  • @camillegroulx7420
    @camillegroulx7420 Рік тому +1

    Thank you for bringing this up. 👍👍👍

  • @ZeusandHades
    @ZeusandHades Рік тому +1

    This video was very informative, but it's also very depressing. I hate how people tend to use this to say how inefficient gov is.

  • @TMarieJful
    @TMarieJful 11 місяців тому

    Thank for encouraging me. I have been genuinely discouraged from continuing to fight for the help i need am qualified for

  • @TomMcMorrow
    @TomMcMorrow Рік тому +14

    I'm loving Phil rocking the early 00s emo look. 🤘🏻

  • @cinemaipswich4636
    @cinemaipswich4636 Рік тому

    In Australia the Tax Commissioner makes reports on tax collection. If the administration cost of a tax, fee, levy is more than the income received, he recommend to the government that is be removed. There is no income tax for earnings below AU$18,200. 40% of the population pays no tax at all. Dividends are taxed at the company rate, before distribution to shareholders. If they are at marginal income, they get a tax return.

  • @reapertheunique
    @reapertheunique Рік тому +1

    As a European I cannot relate to this at all. Well, at least for the government stuff most is fairly straightforward.

  • @halleradam
    @halleradam Рік тому

    I know a handicapped couple literally suffering in despair cause they don’t even know how to get help. State social workers abandoned them.
    Its quite disturbing actually.

  • @scarpfish
    @scarpfish Рік тому +1

    Its also a tax when you have to jump through bureaucratic hurdles on behalf of a loved one in need. Don't even get me started on folks who quit their jobs to become full time caregivers because their parent can't afford residential care, which can bite them hard when it comes time for them to be old themselves in the form of lost Social Security.

  • @TheSimArchitect
    @TheSimArchitect Рік тому +1

    OMG! You're finally saying what I complain about all the time, but nobody seems to listen or they treat me as if I were just "another Karen". Thank you!

  • @nikosuokko8370
    @nikosuokko8370 Рік тому +7

    I'm Finnish, 25 year old, and I have spent like 1 hour in total on taxes in my entire life!
    The grass is greener on the other side, I'm telling you!

    • @kawirider338
      @kawirider338 Рік тому +2

      You’ve also paid a 40% average tax rate versus closer to 20% in the US. Imagine making 10k per month and only taking home $6k. Yikes

    • @weird-guy
      @weird-guy Рік тому +3

      At least we don’t have student debt, and have free healthcare, free maternity leave, payed vacation,free daycare.
      You going to say it not free you pay higher taxes, but bargaining power of the collective is stronger than individuals.

  • @TheTimeForChange44
    @TheTimeForChange44 Рік тому

    Food for thought! Thank you for the point! 👍

  • @jeffkunzeDotCom
    @jeffkunzeDotCom Рік тому +2

    I definitely feel this one! Not only are forms confusing but as a graphic designer these government websites are "designed" to make things difficult to navigate. Basically the opposite of the purpose of graphic design.

  • @CreativeMindsAudio
    @CreativeMindsAudio Рік тому +6

    Great video! Considering my doctor said i should go on disability in october and I’ve yet to fill out the forms because I’m working 10hrs a week and can pay my bills and don’t want to do the work due to low energy… i feel this 👀.

    • @safaiaryu12
      @safaiaryu12 Рік тому +1

      See, this drives me nuts. People with disabilities have the least energy to put up with all the bureaucratic bullshit. But they make it hard so that you'll give up, when you're the person who needs it most! It all makes me so angry.

  • @vladrazym9955
    @vladrazym9955 Рік тому +2

    Thats crazy how you can overcomplicate things in a weird way just to make your shady moves less visible for others

  • @ClickLikeAndSubscribe
    @ClickLikeAndSubscribe Рік тому +7

    Amen, to this! As a foreigner, working with many highly educated foreigners, we keep sharing this observation about how much administrative time life in the USA requires. Time tax is a good label!

  • @soularwave
    @soularwave Рік тому

    That 5-15% of fraud within government benefits should be compared with the % of fraud within government support of “upper class” services as well

  • @chrisbowles5135
    @chrisbowles5135 Рік тому +14

    Good vid, different way to view the system. Kinda make you think if it adds to stuff like crime. It may be easier for someone fallen on hard times to shoplift vs filling out complicated forms. Banks and credit card, and insurance companies are notorious for this tactic too. Kinda like the no surprises act leads you in a loop, you have to get the cpt codes, them you call the insurance they say it's the hospital responsibly the hospital says it's the insurance responsibly, if you do get the codes and give them, and its billed wrong well you gave them the codes so its on you

  • @johnnyp6204
    @johnnyp6204 Рік тому +2

    I thought he said “a**holes” instead of “hassles” at first @3:26 😂

  • @Steve_Edberg
    @Steve_Edberg 10 місяців тому

    Sweet Brown said it best when she said "Ain't nobody got time fo dat!!"

  • @SuchiththaW
    @SuchiththaW Рік тому

    This weas an excellent video. I've been talking about this for years. Systems that offload the bureocracy to the benficiary of the "benefit" really go out of their way to make it difficult to access. Trying to access unemployment and maternity leave benefits this year and completely floored by how arduous it is. And I'm good at forms.

  • @matthewbutner8696
    @matthewbutner8696 Рік тому +1

    While not the exact stats you were claiming we needed, couldn’t we get an idea by seeing how much fraud is happening in other countries that has less administrative burden?

  • @mr_jeff2932
    @mr_jeff2932 Рік тому

    Beautifully done and well said.

  • @MrDd39203
    @MrDd39203 Рік тому

    Thank you guys for such fun, informative and deep thought videos. I use three of your videos in my freshman English course to discuss, debate, write about financial issues. You all should come up with a curriculum for highschoolsers. I'm willing to help.

  • @caliperspective
    @caliperspective Рік тому

    Both y’all’s hair looking lovely. Thanks for sharing your two cents on these important (and often overlooked) issues.

  • @sitrakaforler8696
    @sitrakaforler8696 Рік тому

    Guys... This vidéo was perfect ! The timing and all BRAVO !
    Great content ! Great subject
    Keep it up !

  • @Nexx
    @Nexx Рік тому

    Excellent episode!

  • @Josh-179
    @Josh-179 Рік тому

    We're in $32,000,000,000,000.00 in debt ($247,000 per tax payer).
    Imagine how bad it would be if getting free money was easier!

  • @will2003michael2003
    @will2003michael2003 Рік тому

    Maybe this is an Iowa thing. Our ebt is all on the phone, DHS calls you, almost no one working two jobs would qualify and the online application takes 10minuets. No drug tests. Must be really hard in other places

  • @ClickLikeAndSubscribe
    @ClickLikeAndSubscribe Рік тому +1

    Here in Washington DC, I spent 3 hours fighting a parking ticket that was issued while I was trying to pay for my parking at a broken multi-space parking meter. Like the DC government didn't know their meter was broken? And why is it my job to document a broken meter and then fight the ticket on my own time? I felt like I worked for the District of Columbia for that entire time.

  • @Mr.BobsDog
    @Mr.BobsDog Рік тому +1

    TLDR: Time tax. Time spent completing forms, lining up for services.
    The poorer you are, you more you pay.

  • @Carl_Johnson_from_grove_street

    I remember in 2020 when everyone was on unemployment, man that was such a hassle trying to get my money.

  • @SHORTBUSINSANITY
    @SHORTBUSINSANITY Рік тому

    I'm fairly certain UA-cam is suppressing channels like this one, I've been a subscriber for years, but I had to actively search to find this video.

  • @ManiacMeats
    @ManiacMeats Рік тому +9

    Powerful episode. This almost goes hand in hand with anther interesting view point: Crimes that are punished with a simple fee are just to punish the poor. Another example of regressive policies as $100 to me might blow my budget away but you can pay and not break a sweat.

  • @handyandy6437
    @handyandy6437 9 місяців тому +1

    I am so glad I live in Canada, where life is a lot easier. (when it comes to taxes and government forms)

  • @cornRipper
    @cornRipper 9 днів тому

    I handle this literal thing all the time with medi-cal and such that I get doctors thinking I work in healthcare administration with how much I know and get through it all. 😅not even close.

  • @njk901
    @njk901 Рік тому

    I'm all for a smaller less involved government. I find it hard to believe that more government means less bureaucracy.

  • @cooledcannon
    @cooledcannon 9 місяців тому

    Tax credit is arguably not government assistence but the others for sure are.

  • @ulogy
    @ulogy Рік тому +1

    Somewhere, Louis Rossman is screaming "YES"

    • @thedopplereffect00
      @thedopplereffect00 Рік тому

      Louis Rossman was harassed by big government in NY for years. The lesson should be less government, not give them more money "to make them more efficient" it never happens

  • @autecheee
    @autecheee Рік тому +1

    ‘Administrative burden’……a necessary evil or hidden and accepted oppression ?

  • @ciangargan
    @ciangargan Рік тому +16

    Bring back the moustache!

  • @smokinhalf
    @smokinhalf Рік тому

    The VA is really bad for this. A small percentage of americans are veterans (about 7%) and even a smaller number are disabled, yet veterans have to jump through hoops, many even hire lawyer firms who gets a cut of the benefits. Its sad because Vets have earned this!

  • @dylanwinne5133
    @dylanwinne5133 Рік тому

    Another great episode

  • @BabyBearRudy
    @BabyBearRudy Рік тому +1

    Phil: “It’s not a phase”

  • @AnnGelacht
    @AnnGelacht Рік тому +5

    Crying while watching this in Germany, were bureaucracy is part of the cultural identity 😂

    • @novalinnhe
      @novalinnhe Рік тому

      Lol! What is your tax system like in Germany? It's been interesting learning about how this works in different countries from the comments :)

  • @elvist2810
    @elvist2810 Рік тому

    Good job guys. Your awesome.

  • @TheBoxingNinja
    @TheBoxingNinja Рік тому

    This is why some people choose just to be homeless, they don't have to pay time tax or regular tax.
    And those who get paid under the table and don't file taxes, they are saving time and money and enjoy the benefits of the country without adding to it.

  • @TheEcono
    @TheEcono Рік тому +2

    The upper echelon of America gets the most entitlements .... capitalist socialism benefits American rich the most 😮

  • @christinadonat9110
    @christinadonat9110 10 місяців тому

    Would you be able to list the nonprofit organizations in the description box? You mentioned they helped to navigate the system.

  • @Watch-0w1
    @Watch-0w1 Рік тому

    The worst is when u have to pay money for half-ass force service

  • @me0101001000
    @me0101001000 Рік тому

    Living? There's gonna be a tax for that.

  • @hillfortherstudios2757
    @hillfortherstudios2757 Рік тому

    Very clever! Love it!

  • @odalissk
    @odalissk Рік тому

    It's everything everywhere all at once

  • @edselgreaves6503
    @edselgreaves6503 Рік тому +1

    Love how as soon as Phil became a dad he starting aging in reverse. Damn, he looks so young and sexy right now. He gave birth to his own rebellious teen.

  • @deezynar
    @deezynar Рік тому

    Inflation is a hidden tax.
    Taxes on businesses is a hidden tax on those company's customers.

  • @HungerSTR1KE
    @HungerSTR1KE Рік тому +3

    I love to squeeze every penny out of my healthcare benefits, but I know I've spent hours and hours and HOURS on the phone doing it. Working with providers and insurance companies and everyone in between to get every penny I can. I'm sure I've wasted enormous amounts of time every single year on this, but it's well worth it to me. In fact, it's one of my life's great pleasures to get as much out of an insurance policy as legally possible! Maybe that makes me a sick-o or a nerd, but I totally understand there are many, many people who don't have the time, capacity or frankly the brain power to do what I do. It's a symptom of my privilege that I can afford to spend my time this way, and it's certainly not fair to the masses. Yes, it should be easier for people to access and use their benefits because they've paid for them. Imagine going online and buying a computer but the retailer never shipped it to you and you never received it. That's what it's like. You just never get what you paid for. I think more people need to get fed up and speak up to their representatives because this is outright theft, not a tax. I don't know why so many people put up with it.

    • @ikhbjhbkm5
      @ikhbjhbkm5 Рік тому

      Insurance rates are determined by the average amount of benefits paid. If everyone were like you rates would be much, much higher. I'm sure you think you're sticking it to the company, but in a way, your just raising everyone's rates.

    • @jmr18p
      @jmr18p Рік тому

      this is the truth. getting my first corp job out of college, so many benefits that werent mentioned by our employer that my age adjacent coworkers never knew of until i started looking into. had to tell them about benefits they were missing out on and more. its sick

  • @marccres6619
    @marccres6619 Рік тому

    How about you do not owe taxes to irs,dmv,state income, property, but you have to look in to understand and take action

  • @chivas_gold
    @chivas_gold Рік тому +1

    Me paying 100 bucks for turbo tax, then 500 more than my regular 7k withdrawals from my payroll

  • @mitas3484
    @mitas3484 Рік тому

    Interesting from a Danish perspective, our tax form is online and consists of fields with explanations, relating to driving expenses for work etc. Usually takes me less than 10 min to complete yearly, as they collect a ton of information from automatic sources, such as workplace, stock trading etc. And Insurance claims form is 5 text fields, and can be done over the phone in like 5 min.

  • @johnfijnvandraat
    @johnfijnvandraat Рік тому

    I may be good at dealing with the bureaucracy of paperwork, applying for different programs, taxes ect. But I hate it I just hate doing it its mind numbingly boring

  • @StevieFQ
    @StevieFQ Рік тому

    2023, poor people are less likely to have internet access, and desktop computers.
    LOL.
    Internet access comes with about every phone (even if it didn't free wifi is plentiful) and laptops have become so cheap you have to be incredimbly dim just to state them as anything but a trivial cost.

  • @mallew32
    @mallew32 Рік тому

    This is really PBS for adults, and I keep forgetting that at times hahaha. Then I hear Philip say “assholes,” and I’m like oh, this is isn’t your regular PBS kids 😂😂

    • @mallew32
      @mallew32 Рік тому

      Also thank you for this video, it’s perfect timing too because I’m literally doing adult stuff like taxes right now.

  • @kronosaurelius
    @kronosaurelius Рік тому

    I literally will walk out of a restaurant if they take too long to serve.
    But some time overhead is expected. You can't expect to see all green lights when you drive.
    And to optimize some systems could be more expensive than the gains.

  • @nosondaitchman9073
    @nosondaitchman9073 Рік тому

    I've been on Snap and unemployment. I never needed to get drug tests, fingerprinted, or keep time sheets. I don't know of any state that requires all of those forms for one thing. It's probably one state requires some things, another state requires different things and they're adding them together. Also requirements for recertification are often way easier than getting benefits in the first place. Nowadays, with internet the process is pretty streamlined.

  • @thenorthstar3656
    @thenorthstar3656 Рік тому

    Dude, your band rocks!!! ....oh, and cool Two Cents episode.

  • @joeb1522
    @joeb1522 9 місяців тому

    On the bright side, the US has amazing benefits. It's tough to complain when you get free stuff.