Good lord, 53% tax plus 23% VAT plus utilities tax plus monthly healthcare premiums plus...?
I'm a bit of a socialist living in the U.S. - I believe in higher taxes on higher earnings and universal healthcare - but what in all that is holy do you get for your tax money??
Good lord, 53% tax plus 23% VAT plus utilities tax plus monthly healthcare premiums plus...?
The OP's overstating their case a bit, see the tax calculator here: http://services.deloitte.ie/tc/ (you'll get close to 60k in your pocket from 100k.)
Actually I was discussing that once you reach the low threshold for higher rate tax of about ~€32-33K every single euro above this will be taxed at over 50%, below this its about 20-25% depending on a wide range of circumstances and variables.
This punitive tax regime makes you question as to why bother working longer and harder and kills any will to start new projects since you know you will be robbed if you ever (in the unlikely minority) become successful
AND to add insult to injury you do not get much for your taxes and from your after tax income you endup paying all sorts of further hidden taxes just to live here.
Actually I was discussing that once you reach the low threshold for higher rate tax of about ~€32-33K every single euro above this will be taxed at over 50%, below this its about 20-25% depending on a wide range of circumstances and variables.
Honestly, I'm genuinely not scandalised about the rates you've listed; they seem pretty standard for Europe.
This punitive tax regime makes you question as to why bother working longer and harder and kills any will to start new projects since you know you will be robbed if you ever (in the unlikely minority) become successful
A top rate of 50% isn't that scandalous. It's a lot, and there are plenty of means to reduce it. Personally, I'm far more concerned about getting the point where the top tax rate is a serious problem for me in the first place.
AND to add insult to injury you do not get much for your taxes and from your after tax income you endup paying all sorts of further hidden taxes just to live here.
I fear that if you think living elsewhere is going to result in a major change on your life from the tax rate alone, the options are few and far between. I've heard that you either love or hate Dubai, for instance.
(of course, there are always exceptions on prices of e.g. clothing, computing goods etc. etc. Always idly tempting to imagine moving somewhere that doesn't have VAT!)
I was hoping for a nice pie chart on http://www.budget.gov.ie/Budgets/2015/2015.aspx , but no. Can't seem to find one on the internet. If Ireland is similar enough to the UK, then a large chunk of it will be on pensions.
>> but what in all that is holy do you get for your tax money??
Frankly, not much.
I was born and raised in Ireland, and left a few years ago from Scotland. In comparison to Scotland (and the UK in general), the quality of public services in Ireland is a joke.
I'm a bit of a socialist living in the U.S. - I believe in higher taxes on higher earnings and universal healthcare - but what in all that is holy do you get for your tax money??