Should employee benefits be tax exempt?

[depotoo]

Tax expenditures (exemptions, credits, deductions) are a massive government social welfare program. It is deliberate interference which grossly distorts the free market.

No right-minded conservative would EVER support this huge $1.4 trillion annual expense which drives up tax rates and government borrowing.

So, if you include credits, you then think the poor should receive no credits?

 

[g5000]

Why is the libertarian only allowed to say "no" to exemptions? Don't you guys think taxation is theft?

To pay for tax expenditures, you have to raise tax rates on everyone. This is classic robbing Peter to pay Paul.

In other words, massive theft.

Since we have $1.4 trillion in tax expenditures every year, it is not possible for our politicians to raise tax rates high enough to pay for all that without revolution, and so they are paid for with a combination of higher rates and borrowing.

 

[TomParks]

Choose one. If you feel like it, explain your answer.

I would like to see public worker pensions taxed to lower deficits

 

[depotoo]

Choose one. If you feel like it, explain your answer.

No. There should be ZERO tax expenditures in our tax code.

Currently, though, the employer contribution to health insurance, which is the bulk of the insurance premium, is 100 percent tax exempt.

It shouldn't be.

The employer health insurance tax exemption is one of the factors which bends the cost of healthcare upward.

The bulk of the premium? Not anywhere I know of, unless maybe under union companies.

Yes, the bulk of the premium. In almost all cases. How do you not know this?!?

What Percent of Health Insurance is Paid by Employers?

Across the country, Kaiser Family Foundation found the average percent of health insurance paid by employers is 82 percent for single coverage and 71 percent for family coverage.

Then things have changed dramatically since I worked.

 

[g5000]

Tax expenditures (exemptions, credits, deductions) are a massive government social welfare program. It is deliberate interference which grossly distorts the free market.

No right-minded conservative would EVER support this huge $1.4 trillion annual expense which drives up tax rates and government borrowing.

So, if you include credits, you then think the poor should receive no credits?

The one and only tax expenditure which is proven to increase productivity is the EITC, so I could live with that one.

 

[g5000]

The Earned Income Tax Credit Raises Employment

 

[g5000]

The great libertarian economist Milton Friedman even suggested the "negative income tax" was a good idea.

What's good enough for Milton Friedman is good enough for me.

 

[initforme]

If an emoyers doesn't offer health insurance they shouldn't recruit employees. Don't offer a job.

 

[OnePercenter]

Well, some benefits are, like portions of health benefits that taken out before taxes are. Generally though, benefits are gained as a part of employment, so no they should not be exempt.

Why health insurance? Is that the only benefit that should be tax exempt?

That was going to be my question. What benefits does the OP refer to?

But in general I'd say no. But then imo everyone should be covered by HC insurance. The devil of course is in the details.

Why? Why do you believe insurance is the only way to pay for health care? Why can't people try out different solutions?

What solutions are those?

 

[OnePercenter]

Well, some benefits are, like portions of health benefits that taken out before taxes are. Generally though, benefits are gained as a part of employment, so no they should not be exempt.

Why health insurance? Is that the only benefit that should be tax exempt?

That was going to be my question. What benefits does the OP refer to?

But in general I'd say no. But then imo everyone should be covered by HC insurance. The devil of course is in the details.

Not everyone needs health insurance. When I was a young man I didn't have any and didn't need anything. My grandfather didn't go to a doctor one time for 60 years he didn't need it either. In addition, a lot of people prefer to go to naturopaths and homeopaths and other alternative health providers who are not part of the medical insurance panels.

DNA is a bitch, it treats you very well or very bad.

 

[OnePercenter]

Well, some benefits are, like portions of health benefits that taken out before taxes are. Generally though, benefits are gained as a part of employment, so no they should not be exempt.

Why health insurance? Is that the only benefit that should be tax exempt?

That was going to be my question. What benefits does the OP refer to?

But in general I'd say no. But then imo everyone should be covered by HC insurance. The devil of course is in the details.

Why? Why do you believe insurance is the only way to pay for health care? Why can't people try out different solutions?

because paying docs with chickens and potatoes really won't work anymore.

Health care pros take cash directly from the patient you should know.

Since 80% of American Workers live paycheck to paycheck, they don't have any excess monies which makes healthcare insurance a necessity.

 

[dblack]

Well, some benefits are, like portions of health benefits that taken out before taxes are. Generally though, benefits are gained as a part of employment, so no they should not be exempt.

Why health insurance? Is that the only benefit that should be tax exempt?

That was going to be my question. What benefits does the OP refer to?

But in general I'd say no. But then imo everyone should be covered by HC insurance. The devil of course is in the details.

Why? Why do you believe insurance is the only way to pay for health care? Why can't people try out different solutions?

What solutions are those?

I'm not playing that game. I'm saying people should be free to pursue their own solutions. Period. Whatever they might be.

 

[OnePercenter]

Choose one. If you feel like it, explain your answer.

No. There should be ZERO tax expenditures in our tax code.

Currently, though, the employer contribution to health insurance, which is the bulk of the insurance premium, is 100 percent tax exempt.

It shouldn't be.

The employer health insurance tax exemption is one of the factors which bends the cost of healthcare upward.

The employer health insurance tax exemption is one of the factors which bends the cost of healthcare upward.

So does buying your healthcare from the company store and derailing competition via deregulating the HMO act. Both btw, are Republican sponsored.

 

[OnePercenter]

Well, some benefits are, like portions of health benefits that taken out before taxes are. Generally though, benefits are gained as a part of employment, so no they should not be exempt.

Why health insurance? Is that the only benefit that should be tax exempt?

That was going to be my question. What benefits does the OP refer to?

But in general I'd say no. But then imo everyone should be covered by HC insurance. The devil of course is in the details.

Why? Why do you believe insurance is the only way to pay for health care? Why can't people try out different solutions?

What solutions are those?

I'm not playing that game. I'm saying people should be free to pursue their own solutions. Period. Whatever they might be.

You mentioned solutions, but you don't seem to have any. That IS a game.

 

[OnePercenter]

I didn't vote, the question seems a little vague, 'benefits' can mean many things.

Health insurance, yes.

Why?

To make healthcare more affordable.

What about daycare? Housing? Why just health care? Why should government make this call?

Housing should be limited to the wealthy. I have six properties which I live, all are tax deductible.

 

[dblack]

What about daycare? Housing? Why just health care? Why should government make this call?

Housing should be limited to the wealthy. I have six properties which I live-in, all are tax deductible.

Sure you do.

Home mortgage interest is another example of a tax exemption that shouldn't be allowed.

 

[g5000]

Well, some benefits are, like portions of health benefits that taken out before taxes are. Generally though, benefits are gained as a part of employment, so no they should not be exempt.

Why health insurance? Is that the only benefit that should be tax exempt?

That was going to be my question. What benefits does the OP refer to?

But in general I'd say no. But then imo everyone should be covered by HC insurance. The devil of course is in the details.

Not everyone needs health insurance. When I was a young man I didn't have any and didn't need anything. My grandfather didn't go to a doctor one time for 60 years he didn't need it either. In addition, a lot of people prefer to go to naturopaths and homeopaths and other alternative health providers who are not part of the medical insurance panels.

Homeopathy is bunk.

 

[Polishprince]

What about daycare? Housing? Why just health care? Why should government make this call?

Housing should be limited to the wealthy. I have six properties which I live-in, all are tax deductible.

Sure you do.

Home mortgage interest is another example of a tax exemption that shouldn't be allowed.

That would help to keep the Deplorables in rented rat traps in the cities, instead of becoming the Middle Classes in the suburbs.

 

[g5000]

Choose one. If you feel like it, explain your answer.

No. There should be ZERO tax expenditures in our tax code.

Currently, though, the employer contribution to health insurance, which is the bulk of the insurance premium, is 100 percent tax exempt.

It shouldn't be.

The employer health insurance tax exemption is one of the factors which bends the cost of healthcare upward.

The employer health insurance tax exemption is one of the factors which bends the cost of healthcare upward.

So does buying your healthcare from the company store and derailing competition via deregulating the HMO act. Both btw, are Republican sponsored.

Ayup! The GOP is absolutely not interested in cutting health care costs.

 

[RealDave]

Benefits beyond the basics should be taxed. Cadillac healthcare plans. Huge whole life life insurance. Company stock, etc.