Should people under the age of eighteen pay taxes?

[Croconaw]

In your opinion, should people under the age 18 be taxed on their paychecks? I am 100% against this as it’s taxation without representation. You can’t vote until you’re 18, so those under 18 shouldn’t be taxed.

What is your opinion on this?

 

[Antonio]

I may have to disagree on this I mean, 18 years old don't have certain rights till they turn 21 so having certain rights shouldn't be a dictating factor in paying taxes. "Taxation without representation" can literally apply to a majority of Americans since a huge amount of congress are being bought out from corporations so they ultimately cater to the interest of corporations instead of the American people.

What we need to do is to have our taxes used to better improve the life of quality around us instead of wasting alot of it on the military.

 

[tiffanistarr]

all of the US is basically taxed without representation. i agree with above, if our taxes actually did what they were intended to do then perhaps we’d be in better shape.

 

[Sharksheep]

For the US: Can't you change your withholdings so that they take no taxes from your paycheck and you just pay the IRS when you are filing.

Also if you make under a certain amount (I think it was around 10-12k) that year you don't have to file because you don't owe taxes. If you are under 18, I would assume that you wouldn't have the time or qualifications to make more than that in a year because of school or places won't let you work more than a certain number of hours.

 

[Holla]

If I remember correctly for me it didn’t really matter as I didn’t make enough to be taxed anyways. When working for a major company I let them tax me by choice (there was a way to opt out by proving I was still a student) just to be on the safe side, but come tax return time I’m pretty sure I got most if not all of it back.

All other jobs I worked as a teen were so small I was paid under the table in cash anyways as they were all small private employers so it was less hassle that way for them.

 

[tumut]

Yes. Just at a lower rate.

 

[Lavamaize]

Personally, I think it all has to do with income. If you making under a certain amount (like 20k) I feel like you shouldn't be taxed (or taxed very much) as that is a pretty small amount of money, and that money will most likely be used for college (or to help you start off your life) by most people under 18, so I feel like the tax should not be very much if at all so the money can go towards helping the person when they start out on life by themsleves. On the other hand, if you making like 40-50k+ while under 18 you should be taxed, becuase your making as much as any other adult would, and you should not be exempt from paying foward to your community/country as you are most likely pretty well off for your age.

 

[John Wick]

No.

It's hard enough to get anywhere in life, and someone that age is probably earning mininum wage.

 

[cornimer]

I admit I'm not fully informed on the subject, but off the top of my head, I think it should be purely based on income level rather than age. If somehow a 17-year-old happens to be making millions of dollars why should they be exempt due to their age, and an adult who isn't making a living wage be forced to pay?

 

[EmeraldJourney]

In your opinion, should people under the age 18 be taxed on their paychecks? I am 100% against this as it’s taxation without representation. You can’t vote until you’re 18, so those under 18 shouldn’t be taxed.

What is your opinion on this?

Heck no, 21 with a permanent full time job.

 

[Tao]

Ignoring that most peoples tax gets wasted on crap they don't want anyway, no, those under the voting age shouldn't pay tax since they don't have any say at all in where it's spent, thus the government can't properly waste it.

 

[Stella-Io]

Honestly I just hate getting money taken out of my paycheck for taxes, period. One week I worked overtime and made around 500$, tips included in that. But taxes took 85$ out of that. I work a dollar-ish above min wage here, I could have paid my phone bill with 85$ and have 15 leftover to spend on food or gas or somethin.

I know some of those taxes I'll get back when I retire, and some of it goes to people who don't have insurance and get that special insurance stuff that's *supposed* to be cheaper but really isn't here. But it still bothers me that so much can get taken out when my pay rate isn't that high.

 

[Millysaurusrexjr]

I'm gonna say no, since people under the age of 18 can't vote. It would simply be unfair

 

[StarlitGlitch]

This is more of an interesting topic than I thought it'd be at first glance haha

I can see why minors wouldn't be taxed, (although I also get @cornimer's point) but thinking about it taxes nowadays are more about using services.

For example, (at least in the US but this is generally true) immigrants pay taxes but can't vote. On the other hand, I live outside of America and while I file my taxes every year I'm not rich so I don't need to pay taxes to the US government. But, I can still mail in my vote anytime there's an election. I pay taxes for the country I live in but, of course, can't vote.

So while I understand the logic behind not taxing minors there are other cases where taxes and voting don't go hand-in-hand. I don't have a strong opinion on this but people brought up some good points from different perspectives here.

 

[Croconaw]

This is more of an interesting topic than I thought it'd be at first glance haha

I used quite a vague title, I know. That’s very interesting that you live in Japan. It’s off-topic, I know, but I think that’s very cool.

I still believe that individuals under the age of eighteen shouldn’t be taxed. It’s simply taxation without representation.

 

[StarlitGlitch]

I used quite a vague title, I know. That’s very interesting that you live in Japan. It’s off-topic, I know, but I think that’s very cool.

Haha, thank you!

Honestly I thought this thread was going to be about filing taxes and I was going to complain about my confusion on how taxes for investment works since I live abroad