The employer must provide the employee their W-2 form by the deadline set by the IRS. Although W-2 Forms have traditionally been filled out on paper, and many people consult tax specialists to make sure everything is correct and that they're getting the highest possible deductions. Components of the W-2 Form Chances are you've been issued a W-2 Form at some point in your life. W-2 Forms are divided into state and federal sections, since employees must file taxes on both levels. The fields on a W-2 Form provide room for all types of income. There is a box that states the total amount of money the employee made from that employer in the year in question, which is the same for federal and state. Contracted employees must fill out a W-9 Form prior to work, and they are given a 1099 Form by the company for which they provided service, but only if they completed $600 worth of work or
The first proposal to impose an income tax on Americans occurred during the War of 1812. After two years of war, the federal government had accumulated a whopping $100 million of debt. To fund the war against Britain, the government doubled the rates of its major source of revenue, customs duties on imports, which obstructed trade and ended up yielding less revenue than the previous lower rates. At the height of the war, excise taxes were imposed on goods and commodities, housing, slaves and land were taxed. Finally when the war ended in 1816, these taxes were abolished. A high tariff was then passed to retire the accumulated war debt. Thankfully, the notion of an income tax was conquered (Young, 2004). However, the thought of the income tax reappeared as an idea to fund the Union armies in the war to prevent the secession of the Confederacy. The war was expensive, costing on average $1,750,000 a day. Struggling to meet these expenses, the Republican Congress borrowed heavily, doubled tariff rates, sold off public lands, imposed a maze of licensing fees, increased old excise tax rates and created new excise taxes. But none of this was enough to fund the debt (Young, 2004)..
The arguments regarding federal progressive income tax has been represented to us through the United States Supreme Court, on the floors of congress, and in media. The revenue from taxes reached the objective of financing wars from the Civil War through World War II. At the same time deteriorating the economy with fewer dollars that could be used on imports, exports, and services (Henchman). Today, the United States deficit is $18,800,241,350,538.12 this is a grand total of 58,405.32 owed by every man, woman, and child (Brown). The legal illusion is presenting the question, is income tax legal? There are Americans today who believe income tax is not legal and stand by their beliefs in a movement that has cost many individuals considerably. I am interviewing such a person, his name is Bobby Ray and the history he presented to me was interesting, and has left me with more questions than answers.
The United States of America's 16th amendment says, "The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."
The Revenue Act of 1862 is the first instance of income tax in America. It imposed a progressive income tax rate on Union citizens in order to raise money for the war effort against the Confederacy. http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/personal-income-taxes/income-tax.htmThe income tax was abolished in 1872, declared unconstitutional in 1895, and then passed as an amendment in 1913.http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/1986/winter/civil-war-tax-records.html Cite everything above! The 16th amendment states “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration.” (YOU NEED
Constitutionally, the government has the right to tax its citizens. The idea of the states working together to defend against enemies and for the general welfare of the
In 1861, Lincoln levied the first federal income tax by signing the Revenue Act. Needing cash with which to fund the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln and the Congress agreed to impose a 3 percent tax on annual incomes over $800.00. The wording of the Revenue Act was broadly written to define income as a monetary gain derived from any kind of property, or from any specialized trade, employment, or vocation carried on in the United States or elsewhere or from any source whatever. (A&E Television Networks, 2014)
The sixteenth amendment states that “the congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration.” This means that it allows federal government to levy an income tax from all Americans. Income tax allows for the federal government to keep an army, build roads and bridges, enforce laws and carry out other important duties (Fiskin, Forbath, & Jensen, 2017).
The initial income tax sparked a debate that has raged ever since. "The Government taxed personal income for the first time in 1862,
The United States economy, as known by all, is not in its best shape. One way in which the government gains money is by imposing taxes on people. There are many taxes that are placed on different things that everyone needs or already has. The United States uses a taxation system which is criticized by many. The system used in Progressive Tax; however, many people believe the system of Flat Tax, or Proportional Tax, should be the system that is used for taxing.
2. Before the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified, there was no valid Federal income tax on individuals.
“When it came to levying taxes the Articles stated Congress could request states to pay taxes. The Constitution states Congress has the right to levy taxes on individuals” (Feldmeth, Greg D. "U.S. History Resources" http://home.earthlink.net/~gfeldmeth/USHistory.html (31 March 1998). “A federal court the Articles
The power to tax resided within the states. Congress could request taxes from the states, but had no right to impose a tax. To levy the requested tax though 9/13 states had to agree with it which made Congress led taxes harder to pass. An example of this would have been when Robert Morris attempted to raise revenue to reduce inflation. Many states opposed his proposal for a national tariff, which would raise a five percent tax on foreign goods, and so it never came to
Since the creation of the United States, they loathed taxes, especially when the British taxed them without any representation. The United States anger towards taxes started the American Revolution; However, the United States needed some form of taxes to pay for the military. The military and several other things are what makes a country; however, there are some things that taxes pay for that should either be terminated or improved. A few things that taxes pay for does not contribute to the economy, instead, it costs the taxpayers excessive amount of tax money. In order for the country to decrease taxes or contribute to more education, security, and modern infrastructure, they need to terminate or improve the welfare and the war on drugs.
Tax reforms started in 1916 when the Wilson administration decided to cooperate with a group of insurgent democrats on war time financing, which was majorly progressive taxation. This was important because it led to attacking the wealthy, special privilege, and public corruption. The administration embraced this taxation as “means to achieve social justice.” Another major element to Wilsons administration was redistributional taxation. This helped drive between socialism and unmediated capitalism. The major debate at the time was over the question, “ What stake does society have in corporate profits?” The debates outcome created “soak-the-rich” income taxation. Wilson signed the Revenue Act of 1916. This was the first tax on personal incomes.