Subject: Individual submission from Georgia Comment: Response to request for comments by the Federal Tax Reform Panel on Feb. 16, 2005 Donald E. Williamson 1380 Hicks Circle NW Conyers, GA 30012 February 28, 2005 Individual Submission to Federal Tax Reform Panel Contact Information: Primary e-mail : dewilliamson42@aol.com Secondary e-mail: don.williamson@hilphoenix.com Phone#: 770-285-3250 Mailing address: Don Williamson 1380 Hicks Circle NW Conyers, GA 30012 Public comments-Individual’s submission 1. Headaches, unnecessary complexity, and burdens that taxpayers - both individuals and businesses - face because of the existing system. Comment For the past thirty years of our taxpaying career, my wife and I have spent a minimum of two weekends a year just to complete the tax filing process. The first weekend is spent just learning the new wording, what rules are now in place and which ones no longer apply, and lastly what portions of the tax codes are “gray areas”. The other weekend is actually spent in preparing the tax return after seeking advice and explanations of the gray areas and where we need to “read between the lines”. Although Congress states they go to great lengths to make filing taxes an easy process, digestion of the true meaning of what is being asked for is much akin to reading Shakespeare. While some years are better than others, the fact remains that my wife and I must constantly be on our guard if changes to the existing tax code will affect us if we continue or course of tax exemptions on our W-4, or whether we need to make a mid-course correction. For the short time that we owned our own retail business, we witnessed the taxpaying process increase by tenfold. Our two weekends a year became a monthly visit to our CPA to keep things straight and this expense cut into our profits more than we ever expected. 2. Aspects of the tax system that are unfair. Comments Many illegal immigrants and other workers in the U.S.A. earn their respective livings by "under-the-table" wage earning practices. This precludes this group of people from ever having to pay into the Federal Income Tax system along with not paying into other programs (i.e. workman's comp, Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, etc). By default, the average taxpayer pays the burden of federally funded programs in which this group of people might be taking advantage of. 3. Specific examples of how the tax code distorts important business or personal decisions. Comments While the tax code affects us personally by constant monitoring of upcoming legislation involving tax codes or keeping tabs on which tax bracket we might be in, I would site the affects on my father’s lifestyle as the example. He is now 80 years old and for the past 10 years has volunteered annually in assisting senior citizens with their own tax returns. I would have thought that by the time when we should be enjoying the fruits of our labors, that the cumbersome and changing tax filing process would stop. It is not fair for my father to spend his volunteering efforts with tax returns when he has spent the rest of his time volunteering at hospitals and other more noble ventures. 4. Goals that the Panel should try to achieve as it evaluates the existing tax system and recommends options for reform. By reading our submitted comments above, it should be apparent that my wife an I feel the current tax code is burdensome and at times, intimidating. It should also be ascertained that taxpayers are unfairly burdened by a great number of individuals making their living “under-the-table”, and will continue to do so as long as it remains more profitable to do so. In using your own good judgement, I would hope this panel would give earnest consideration to the following goals of tax reform: • A simplified tax code that cannot be defrauded as easily. • Devise methods that allow business owners to run their business’s instead of being paper pushers. • Put reforms in place that will bring back manufacturing to the United States. • Allow taxpayers to invest in their own futures by not penalizing their savings. Thanking you in advance for your good work in this matter, Don Williamson |