Fellow childfree folks, how much did you love writing the check out to the IRS after hearing all the

[hfojvt]

41. the point is not about the refund, it is about the tax bill

as in

childless

income * * taxes
12,000 * * $155

equivalent income to have the same tax bill
1+1 = $32,300 (one person with one child)
1+2 = $39,200
2+1 = $37,480

Does that seem like a fair tax system to you when a person making $12,000 a year pays the same in taxes as a household with three times the income?

Or, let's look at my current income, assuming I stay employed all year. $32,310. And further assume that I maximize my IRA deduction (which I will, already having put $4,000 in) at $6,000 (because I am over 50). Now my tax bill is $2,128. That is as much as a couple with two children making $69,050 (if they also maximize their IRA deductions (and are under 50). So again, I am paying more in federal income taxes than somebody with over twice my income. Or, as much as a couple with one child and income of $58,750.

Of course, you might, be a smart alec and divide their income by the number of people and claim that I am somehow financially better off, but that is clearly absurd. For one thing, I already live in a house big enough for three people. If I added a woman and child - my property taxes would not triple, my heating bill would not triple, my electric bill would not triple, my water bill would not triple, I would not need three cars, in fact, the one would probably suffice because I already hardly ever drive it. Other things would be easier too. For example, it takes about as much time to cook for one as it does to cook for three. I could split the cooking duties with my spouse and we'd each be doing it in half the time. The same is true of grocery shopping. It takes about as much time to buy groceries for one as it does for three. Probably each of our auto insurance bills would go down since a married person pays less than a single.

Furthermore, if I put my family on my health insurance I would suddenly get a $400 a month raise. My employer pays about $600 a month for my insurance now, but would pay $1,000 a month if I had a family. They'd pay an extra $400 a month or so, and I would not have to do a lick of extra work. Further, there could be other benefits. If, for example, I died this year (and there was then a modest celebration on DU), all the money I paid into social security would be whizzed into the wind. However, if I had a spouse and a child, according to my 2009 report, they could each collect $660 a month in benefits. All without me having to pay an extra dime into the fund!! I guess the extra benefits would be paid by some unfortunate childless sap whose payments were whizzed into the wind.

Point is, that the benefits for married couples or those with children do not come from a money tree. Some of them come from people who were not fortunate enough to get married or have children.