Monday, March 8, 2010

Transaction taxes.

Everyone appears to agree the NZ tax system is broken, but fixes seem to mostly involve tinkering and making it more complex.
Why is a transaction tax replacing all other taxes ignored as a possibility? A transaction tax fits the aims of a tax system very well. It is extremely broad based. The broader base may actually cut banks tax bill also. Cheap to collect as it can be done electronically and automatically on every bank transfer. Saving billions in tax collection, recovery and accounting costs for both businesses and the government. A lot of time and angst now faced by business people preparing tax returns, paying PAYE and GST could be avoided. Encourages saving and investment rather than consumption. Leaving money in a productive venture rather than borrowing to increase dividends. Discourages taking NZ dollars offshore and speculation in currency. It is naturally progressive as a percentage of transactions means those who transfer larger sums of money pay the most. Very difficult to dodge. Black market cash transactions cannot be caught, but that happens now. In a few years when all cash is electronic it will be almost impossible to avoid. Removes all the present accounting lurks, accounting costs and probably accountants who will have to turn their intelligence to making companies productive instead of helping them dodge tax.
Is it because the real wealthy and farmers who pay little tax now would actually have to pay some instead of the system relying as now on high tax from highly paid (skilled) wage and salary earners. The only people with a high enough income to be tax positive, but without a business or other means of tax avoidance. Or is it because the banks would not accept it. as it would reduce their profits from currency speculation. . http://www.apttax.com/index.htm

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