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avaistheone1

(14,626 posts)
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 02:37 AM Mar 2015

Federal workers owe more than $3.5 billion in unpaid taxes

Source: Yahoo News

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal workers and retirees owed more than $3.5 billion in unpaid taxes last year, a $200 million increase over the previous year, the IRS said Tuesday.

Almost 305,000 federal workers and retirees owed back taxes as of Sept. 30. That's down from 318,000 the year before.

The delinquency rate was 3.1 percent for the 9.8 million workers and retirees included in the data. That's down from 3.3 percent the previous year.

The IRS compiles data each year on unpaid taxes by federal workers. The data does not include workers who have enrolled in installment agreements to pay their back taxes.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/federal-workers-owe-more-3-5-billion-unpaid-190117925--finance.html

27 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Federal workers owe more than $3.5 billion in unpaid taxes (Original Post) avaistheone1 Mar 2015 OP
We pay taxes on our income in order to pay them their income, but they are not paying taxes on merrily Mar 2015 #1
It's good that it's down rpannier Mar 2015 #2
they pay it at a much higher rate than the general public Enrique Mar 2015 #3
That is true rpannier Mar 2015 #5
if that's true, then why don't we charge a higher rate? Enrique Mar 2015 #7
Because I'm not advocating it as a financial imperative rpannier Mar 2015 #8
I'm A Public Employee RobinA Mar 2015 #17
That should be a no brainer. Igel Mar 2015 #27
3.1 percent seems like a low delinquency rate VMA131Marine Mar 2015 #4
Higher most likely rpannier Mar 2015 #6
"So, they're basically saying, 'pay me, but I don't wanna pay.'" BumRushDaShow Mar 2015 #11
Exactly. Because they get gov't services too. seabeckind Mar 2015 #13
I am an employee of the federal government rpannier Mar 2015 #20
And I am a 30 yr fed and was the daughter of a 20+ yr fed (also a WWII vet who died on the job) BumRushDaShow Mar 2015 #24
What an absolute crock. seabeckind Mar 2015 #12
Decided to remove my post rpannier Mar 2015 #19
My reading comprehension is fine seabeckind Mar 2015 #25
I would have thought federal employees had taxes withheld Demeter Mar 2015 #9
They do. NutmegYankee Mar 2015 #10
No and no CreekDog Mar 2015 #22
Ask yourself deancr Mar 2015 #14
Try a google deancr Mar 2015 #15
Nothing new. The masses have become conditioned to reading headlines as news >>>> Roland99 Mar 2015 #18
Look at the Actual Numbers and Draw Your Own Conclusion eringer Mar 2015 #16
Here's an alternative headline: TAX DELINQUENCY AMONG FED WORKERS TICKS DOWN groundloop Mar 2015 #21
Or, "TAX DELINQUENCY AMONG PRIVATE SECTOR WORKERS THREE TIMES THAT OF FED WORKERS" Doctor_J Mar 2015 #23
Data has no meaning Cryptoad Mar 2015 #26

merrily

(45,251 posts)
1. We pay taxes on our income in order to pay them their income, but they are not paying taxes on
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 02:40 AM
Mar 2015

their income?

On the other hand, I am suspicious of compiling this statistic separately.

Enrique

(27,461 posts)
3. they pay it at a much higher rate than the general public
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 02:53 AM
Mar 2015
The IRS does not yet have data on the general public for 2014. But in previous years, the delinquency rate for the general public was between 8 percent and 9 percent — much higher than the rate for federal employees, the IRS said.

rpannier

(24,304 posts)
5. That is true
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 03:12 AM
Mar 2015

And writing as the public employee that I am, it is worse when we don't pay it because our retirement and salary is derived from those taxes
So when a public employee doesn't pay they're basically saying, 'Give me my salary, but I don't want to contribute.'

Enrique

(27,461 posts)
7. if that's true, then why don't we charge a higher rate?
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 03:21 AM
Mar 2015

if public employees have a greater obligation than the general public, for the reasons you give, why not charge them a higher rate?

rpannier

(24,304 posts)
8. Because I'm not advocating it as a financial imperative
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 03:45 AM
Mar 2015

I am advocating it as a moral imperative

If you benefit more directly from something, you have a greater obligation to keep the something functioning properly

Public employees benefit from tax dollars paid. To not pay, what is in effect your livelihood because you don't want to or don't see the need to, is an immoral act

As to charging them a higher rate... public employees, by virtue of a more stable job situation and stable retirement take less money than they would make in the private sector: private attorneys make more than a district attorney, private doctors make more money than a public health doctor, mercenaries... I mean Blackwater employees make more money than U.S. military do.
That's the financial trade-off that is made.

RobinA

(9,878 posts)
17. I'm A Public Employee
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 07:57 AM
Mar 2015

and I pay my taxes, but I never get this particular outrage when public employees don't pay their taxes. Everybody who doesn't pay their taxes is ripping off the taxpayer. If you drive on a public road to your private employment and don't pay taxes it's no different in my mind. And lets not forget the corporations who benefit mightily from public services and then find every way in the book to not pay taxes.

Igel

(35,197 posts)
27. That should be a no brainer.
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 07:03 PM
Mar 2015

Private employers have to inform the IRS about taxes--whether they have 25k or 1 employee. Self-employed have to self-report.

Those who are federal employees have the government--the same government that houses the IRS--that should be deducting taxes and doing that sort of thing. Imagine: "FEMA fails to file tax documents with the IRS and is audited for tax compliance."

That's an internal audit. And if FEMA or some other executive branch didn't do what it was supposed to, no legal action need be taken. Their joint "CEO" would just tell one to get its act together.

rpannier

(24,304 posts)
6. Higher most likely
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 03:14 AM
Mar 2015

But non-federal worker's salaries don't necessarily come from taxes
Federal employees salaries do.
So, they're basically saying, 'pay me, but I don't wanna pay.'

BumRushDaShow

(127,322 posts)
11. "So, they're basically saying, 'pay me, but I don't wanna pay.'"
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 06:27 AM
Mar 2015

False assumption.

I expect that the vast majority, like others across the U.S., fell on hard times - like, um, the economic collapse? Where many federal workers lost 1/2 of their contributions to the TSP due to the stock market crash (Fed equivalent to a 401(K)), received a pay freeze for 3 years, plus were furloughed for 2 weeks thanks to a narrator of "Green Eggs and Ham" (hastening a chain reaction of unpaid bills and defaults before they were reimbursed), and finally got 1% increase for the past year. And God forbid if any were 2-fed households or a spouse had been unemployed.

I know that many on DU parrot RW talking points that are anti-federal government employee, but that's possibly because these employees are continually objectified as some "Evil Empire Storm Trooper" rather than what they are in reality -no different than the majority of U.S. taxpayers. And yes, feds DO pay federal income and state/local taxes too. Imagine that.

You will always have those who want to game the system, but they are a tiny fraction. The biggest dupers are the 1% privateers.

seabeckind

(1,957 posts)
13. Exactly. Because they get gov't services too.
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 06:33 AM
Mar 2015

And they have to pay for them. That's what taxes are for.

They don't get to be transported to work for free as part of their job. They have to pay taxes to make the roads better.

That F18 protects their home also.

rpannier

(24,304 posts)
20. I am an employee of the federal government
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 08:53 AM
Mar 2015

as is my older brother and my father
I do know how the retirement system works

The question above me was the rate of delinquents by non-federal employees
And I said likely higher.
Meaning that non-federal employees are delinquent at a higher rate (at least that's how I hoped it would be read)

When you are a government employee you have an obligation to pay your taxes because it's those taxes that pay your salary. When you don't, yet still get paid, you are taking money from a system that pays your salary

You are correct, there are differing reasons why people don't pay taxes, including government workers.
That does not mean that not paying taxes is an appropriate response.
Their first responsibility should be/is to make arrangements to get them paid. Not wait.
If you are not paying and have made no arrangements to get them paid then you are not helping the system and I would argue, yes, you are being selfish about it.
My salary, my brother's salary, my father's when he was a judge and several other members of my family all come from the federal government. We all pay taxes.

If that seems petty and unfeeling to you then fine have at it.

BumRushDaShow

(127,322 posts)
24. And I am a 30 yr fed and was the daughter of a 20+ yr fed (also a WWII vet who died on the job)
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 10:13 AM
Mar 2015

with fed siblings and other relatives. So yes, IMHO, I think you are mis-characterizing feds by your blanket statements as if their circumstances were their fault and they all want to game the system. Again, you miss that you have feds whose spouses may have been unemployed or those who were already in dire straits when they became feds.

To insinuate that the reasoning is "pay me but I don't wanna pay" is just silly nonsense - particularly if you have a fed going into foreclosure or who had medical debt that the FEHB didn't cover (because many of the plans require 20% co-pay and could be in tens or hundreds of thousands for extended medical care - not from the hospital itself that might qualify for catastrophic coverage, but from all the specialist bills).

seabeckind

(1,957 posts)
12. What an absolute crock.
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 06:31 AM
Mar 2015

These people are people just every other people.

They are subject to a code of ethics and some PEOPLE don't follow it.

But they are obviously more ethical than the general public. And they are more honest than the common guy.

Just quit with the demonization of people who bear the brunt of every f'n campaign every few years. This is nothing more than bullshit right wing anti-gov't nonsense.

Trying to make the FEE that the people pay to keep the place running seem like a charity.

Half truth pushing an agenda. You bought it.

rpannier

(24,304 posts)
19. Decided to remove my post
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 08:37 AM
Mar 2015

It was nasty and incendiary
I will re-iterate, as I AM a federal employee
Work on your reading comprehension skills

seabeckind

(1,957 posts)
25. My reading comprehension is fine
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 12:35 PM
Mar 2015

It was obvious from your post that you bought into that whole public servant bullshit.

Try to picture the gov't worker this way: A gov't worker is more like a nurse working FOR a hospital to provide care to a patient who cannot do that care on their own. They will make independent decisions that they feel are to the best benefit to that patient and they will do it based upon skills and knowledge that the patient does not possess.

They are NOT a maid who is working FOR that patient.

It doesn't matter who you work for -- that has nothing to do with it. It adds nothing to your argument and would be better left unsaid.

How's that for reading comprehension?

 

Demeter

(85,373 posts)
9. I would have thought federal employees had taxes withheld
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 05:27 AM
Mar 2015

like private employees do.

Are the statistics just about filing tax returns, perhaps?

CreekDog

(46,192 posts)
22. No and no
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 10:02 AM
Mar 2015

it seems like you have no idea how taxes work at all.

have you ever done your own taxes?

people who get paychecks have taxes withheld from each check, but the actual tax owed is based on all the income and deductions made during the year.

so the amount withheld is never exactly what people end up owing. sometimes they overpay and get a refund, sometimes they've underpaid and have to pay when they file.

delinquent just means they haven't paid on time, they haven't paid when they filed.

deancr

(150 posts)
14. Ask yourself
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 07:09 AM
Mar 2015

Why isn't the headline, "Federal workers default on their taxes less often than the general public"? The headline states the message as the writer or editor wishes it conveyed. More right wing, anti-government propaganda by a corporate media. Nothing to see here but a violation of journalistic ethics or the ethics that used to be.

deancr

(150 posts)
15. Try a google
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 07:23 AM
Mar 2015

on the headline itself. The same line was used in 2013 and 2014 while the gist goes back some years further. It's almost like reporting has become creating the news. Almost, just like.

eringer

(460 posts)
16. Look at the Actual Numbers and Draw Your Own Conclusion
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 07:28 AM
Mar 2015

According to the actual report (which was tough as hell to find on the internet), more than half the $3.5 Billion is military and military retirees debt. Here are the actual numbers (read them yourself):

http://www.scribd.com/doc/259844813/2014-Tax-Delinquency-Report

Let's hope the United States of Republicania goes after the "Federal worker" and someone calls them out on this.

BTW, the report makes no distinction regarding when the back taxes were incurred (e.g., how much was brought in by the person prior to government employment) or how much was incurred by a spouse. With respect to the military, I saw a report on the Pentagon channel that the military guys were getting free help with their taxes from other military guys. This report should ring an alarm bell that maybe the quality of this "free" service is questionable.


groundloop

(11,488 posts)
21. Here's an alternative headline: TAX DELINQUENCY AMONG FED WORKERS TICKS DOWN
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 09:41 AM
Mar 2015
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/236842-tax-delinquency-among-federal-workers-ticks-down

This story can appear to tell different things depending on how you spin it. It is my opinion that the story in the OP had a certain agenda in only telling part of the story. It also doesn't mention what the delinquency rate is among non-federal workers, and in fact I haven't been able to find that yet (but I bet that it's about the same).
 

Doctor_J

(36,392 posts)
23. Or, "TAX DELINQUENCY AMONG PRIVATE SECTOR WORKERS THREE TIMES THAT OF FED WORKERS"
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 10:07 AM
Mar 2015

Every news source has turned into Fox

Cryptoad

(8,254 posts)
26. Data has no meaning
Wed Mar 25, 2015, 01:45 PM
Mar 2015

unless you can produce data on how non Federal worker taxpayers with the same income grouping owe back taxes.......

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