Tithing - Gross, Net, Or Leftover

[The Nehor]

Turbo Tax is a poor accountant.

But less expensive then a flesh and blood one. I doubt in my case that the difference in personal profit would match the difference in cost.

[mnn727]

Are you arrogant enough to believe that U.S. foreign policy causes all the problems that prompt terrorism?

 

 

No I also blame British colonialism. 

[DBMormon]

 I will not be stingy with the Lord. As I said, I can never get Him in my debt.

 

 I do my home teaching on the first day of the month, because I will not let my God down like others do as I insist on showing my love to him.

 

We should both be applauded!

[mnn727]

 I do my home teaching on the first day of the month,

 

 

I'm so dedicated I do mine the day before.

[DBMormon]

I'm so dedicated I do mine the day before.

funny stuff!

[mikegriffith1]

Regarding the point about receiving an indirect "increase" from paying taxes, federal and state income taxes are different from state sales taxes and county property taxes. I've never heard of anybody deducting for sales taxes and property taxes and other local taxes (car tax, road tolls, etc.), and those are the taxes from which you arguably receive some indirect form of "increase," although sometimes that can vary widely, depending on where you live.  But I wasn't talking about deducting for sales taxes and property taxes. I was talking about deducting for the federal and state income taxes that you never get back. It's not an "increase" if you never receive it.

 

As for deducting for health care plan payments, I wasn't talking about deducting such withholdings from tithing calculation. I only had in mind federal and state income taxes that you never get back.

 

How about the payroll tax (Social Security tax) and the FICA tax (Medicare tax)? In theory, years later you will receive an "increase" from Social Security and Medicare. But it is becoming increasingly clear that the government is simply not going to be able to meet 100% of the SS benefits it has promised people. Unless some miracle occurs, SS benefits are going to have to be cut by about 33%, maybe even 50%. In my retirement planning, I am assuming I will get 50% of the SS benefit that I am supposed to receive. Anyway, I was not talking about deducting SS and FICA taxes from tithing either--only federal and state income taxes that you never get back.

[Scott Lloyd]

Regarding the point about receiving an indirect "increase" from paying taxes, federal and state income taxes are different from state sales taxes and county property taxes. I've never heard of anybody deducting for sales taxes and property taxes and other local taxes (car tax, road tolls, etc.), and those are the taxes from which you arguably receive some indirect form of "increase," although sometimes that can vary widely, depending on where you live.  But I wasn't talking about deducting for sales taxes and property taxes. I was talking about deducting for the federal and state income taxes that you never get back. It's not an "increase" if you never receive it.

 

It is an increase if you receive value for it that you wouldn't have if you and others had not paid taxes.

 

It's similar in theory to a worker receiving part of his remuneration in commodities (groceries, clothing, etc.) instead of in cash. Those commodities must reasonably be regarded as income or vlaue received, despite the fact the person did not go to a store or a shop and pay money for them.

 

There is a reason your paycheck stub gives a gross as well as a net amount. The gross is what you earned, from which your employer collects tax money to pay the government for the benefits (value) you receive.

 

But as I've said, whether or not this really is a debatable point, I'm not going to quibble over it or spend cerebral energy trying to devise novel or convoluted ways to rationalize paying less in tithing. Rather, I'll give the Lord the benefit of any doubt, because, after all, I can never get Him in my debt.

Edited May 4, 2015 by Scott Lloyd