Christine Lagarde, scourge of tax evaders, pays no tax

[Neue Regel]

Source: Guardian UK

Christine Lagarde, the IMF boss who caused international outrage after she suggested in an interview with the Guardian on Friday that beleaguered Greeks might do well to pay their taxes, pays no taxes, it has emerged.

As an official of an international institution, her salary of $467,940 (£298,675) a year plus $83,760 additional allowance a year is not subject to any taxes.

The same applies to nearly all United Nations employees – article 34 of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations of 1961, which has been signed by 187 states, declares: "A diplomatic agent shall be exempt from all dues and taxes, personal or real, national, regional or municipal."

Other benefits include rent subsidies, dependency allowances for spouses and children, education grants for school-age children and travel and shipping expenses, as well as subsidised medical insurance.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/may/29/christine-lagarde-pays-no-tax

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Taxes for thee, but not for me. How typical of the ruling class.

[elleng]

1. This is NOT news,

and is NOT isolated to 'the ruling class,' but to all who work at IMF (and probably World Bank,) which includes many mid-and low-level employees, many here in the DC area.

[Neue Regel]

2. How is it not news?

Someone making $500,000 a year berated the people of Greece for not paying enough in taxes, all while not paying a penny in taxes herself. You may not consider it newsworthy, but others may disagree.

[elleng]

4. Its part of her contract, nothing NEW about it,

and she properly stated that Greek people should pay and not avoid taxes they owe.

Sorry if you're not comfortable with the way IMF, World Bank and United Nations do business.

[abelenkpe]

7. Many are not comfortable with the way the IMF and World Bank do business

But that's another story. Don't apologize for LaGarde. She's still is a hypocritical pompous jerk championing starving workers and retirees while propping up banks.

[roguevalley]

21. who wrote her contract? the rich elite

of course we are uncomfortable with these bastards. they are bleeding a country to death and people are dying even as they drive by in their limos.

[DeSwiss]

25. Not only am I uncomfortable with it.....

...but it reeks of hypocrisy.

As long a we sit back a settle for this crap being dealt to us, then they'll keep dealing it to us.

And in that case, we end up getting what was asked for.............

[SunSeeker]

3. One rule for the rich, another for the poor. nt

[elleng]

5. No, ALL IMF employees.

[SunSeeker]

6. Yes, and they are rich compared to most people on this planet.

They are certainly rich compared to the average Greek, at whom they are wagging their collective finger.

[elleng]

7. By that standard, you would complain about U.S. Federal Government employees,

it appears.

[Skittles]

10. you are very defensive

thou doth protest too much

[elleng]

16. FACTS ARE IMPORTANT.

As Spider Jerusalem said below, at #13, Diplomats pay no tax by agreed international convention.

The number of accredited diplomats is very small. It is one thing for accredited diplomats who are not resident in their country of citizenship to pay no tax; it is quite another thing for tax evasion and avoidance to be such a widespread and endemic problem in an entire country that it's estimated at as much as €13 billion annually. The Greek finance minister estimated the shortfall in tax revenues due to evasion as being roughly equivalent to the size of the budget deficit. . .

[Sanity Claws]

23. Diplomats pay taxes to their own country

They're not subject to taxation by the state where they are stationed. They are definitely subject to taxation by their own state.

Isn't this how Tim Geitner got into trouble back in2008? he had failed to pay US tax on his IMF earnings?

So is this woman paying taxes to France? Or not paying taxes to any state at all?
If the latter, it stinks and it is hypocritical for her to lecture Greeks about taxes.

[Spider Jerusalem]

30. Americans are almost the only people in the world taxed on the basis of citizenship.

A French or British citizen who is resident for tax purposes in another country (meaning that they spend less than 90 days per year in their country of citizenship) is not taxed in France or Britain.

[Skittles]

33. OOH OOH OOH!!!

[SunSeeker]

11. Nope. All U.S. government employees pay income taxes.

They're not hypocrites like the IMF.

[roguevalley]

19. us federal employees pay taxes. She doesn't

she's a fucker, they aren't.

try using corporations as your examples. I recommend the Waltons.

[brentspeak]

28. Federal government employees are exempt from paying taxes?

You sure you don't want to quit while you're (well) behind?

[elleng]

29. NO, we pay taxes,

but we are probably 'richer' than many on the planet.

[brentspeak]

31. And this supports your defense of Christine "Bankster Loan Shark Spokesperson" Lagarde, how?

[elleng]

32. I responded to #6 above.

[frylock]

9. this is about lagarde and her dumbass commentary

[brentspeak]

27. Know of any poverty-stricken IMF employees?

[Comrade_McKenzie]

12. Typical jackassery from the world wealthy/elite, and before I'm jumped on...

I don't give two bowel movements about the den of vultures over at the IMF.

[Spider Jerusalem]

13. And...so? Diplomats pay no tax. This is by agreed international convention.

The number of accredited diplomats is very small. It is one thing for accredited diplomats who are not resident in their country of citizenship to pay no tax; it is quite another thing for tax evasion and avoidance to be such a widespread and endemic problem in an entire country that it's estimated at as much as €13 billion annually. The Greek finance minister estimated the shortfall in tax revenues due to evasion as being roughly equivalent to the size of the budget deficit. See here: http://www.newyorker.com/talk/financial/2011/07/11/110711ta_talk_surowiecki

[elleng]

15. Thanks SO MUCH, Spider!

Facts REALLY ARE IMPORTANT, to some of us.

[Occulus]

17. Hypocricy not so much, it seems.

You're ignoring a different fact: an untaxed person telling people to pay their taxes is the very tincture of hypocrisy. That this is true for all IMF employees does not alter that.

[elleng]

18. Still don't get it, do you???

Hypocricy is a feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion

[roguevalley]

22. wow. In greece they are abandoning four and

five year old children in the streets with notes saying I can't keep her/him. Remember that when you wrap your love around this leech.

[roguevalley]

20. name a diplomat that isn't rich. Just because

someone signed a treaty doesn't make it moral or just. honestly, there are laws that allow corporations and shyster preachers to skip taxes too. Is that a good thing?

[may3rd]

14. How many United Nations employees are there?

...are they hiring ?


""..The same applies to nearly all United Nations employees ...A diplomatic agent shall be exempt from all dues and taxes, personal or real, national, regional or municipal""


I know Khadaffy's people in New York were the kings of parking violations.
Just another perk I guess

[DeSwiss]

24. Of course.....

...how could it be otherwise.



- K&R

[Dokkie]

26. Ofc they dont pay taxes

Reminds me of how Warren Buffett gave away all his money to Bill and Melinda Gates foundation so when he dies, the US gets nothing from estate taxes. But they sure will fight and use evasive tactic to limit their tax recipes as much as possible while lecturing us to pay more taxes. I say we in the spirit of the Buffet rule tax 35% on any deceased millionaire regardless of commitment to any charity or causes

[rayofreason]

34. Do as I say...

...not as I do.

[Jeneral2885]

35. Why not blame all UN officials

The report clearly said all nations signed up to agree that UN employees do not pay tax. So what's the big deal? And Tax-evasion is a key issue in Greece and elsewhere too.

[dipsydoodle]

36. She not evading anything

Her position is not subject to tax.

A simple search would have confirmed that vor you.

[Prometheus Bound]

37. Nothing in the OP says she is evading taxes.

[dipsydoodle]

38. aside from the subject line

[Prometheus Bound]

39. "Pays no tax" is not the same as "evades taxes".

Do I really need to point that out?