The 10 biggest federal income tax breaks (and how much they cost)

[tik 🪀✨]

Dear wormyguy,

Thank you for your explanation of how to get rich. Unfortunately I never have good ideas, I don't have the money to enter exclusive universities, I don't want to fake getting along with rich people (or their daddies), don't have time to learn how to program an app because I'm busy trying not to be homeless, and I hate the smell of old people. In fact, I don't even want to be rich. I don't have the motivation or energy to start my own business, be my own boss, or even think of an idea to sell.

I just want to work eight hours a day and get paid more than what I need. I would be interested in buying a house someday, and I promise I don't waste my money. I don't think I should earn as much as those who have exclusive skills. I just want to be comfortable. I have just as much worth to society as the more intelligent, more socially apt, and in fact perhaps I'm better because I'm not cunning, ruthless, or greedy. We live in a first world country. Why should I needlessly suffer when there is plenty of money for everyone? Why should they benefit so many orders of magnitude more than me, doing my small part?

Yours truly,
Most people

[tik 🪀✨]

They have the sour smell of impending death in their hairy, hairy orifices. You hadn't noticed?

[tik 🪀✨]

They have the sour smell of impending death in their hairy, hairy orifices. You hadn't noticed?

I just wondered why you wrote it. What was the relevance in this context? This little perfidy ruins your otherwise well crafted response to wormguy.

Thanks. I just talk that way, even in real life. Probably something I should work on if I want to schmooze on yachts.

[tik 🪀✨]

Dear wormyguy,

Thank you for replying to my letter. I know you're quite busy, and I appreciate the sacrifice in time you made in order to explain why I should also appreciate that you won't give us a raise.

I feel compelled to point out that in my original letter I said that I did not expect to make as much money as those with exclusive skills. I hope that makes you feel better. I am well aware that I owe my employment partially to folks who take such gambles to find their success. So, of course you should make more than us. But, please, then, consider that your employees contribute substantially to your success by giving you our labor and time.  It's also sometimes hard to buy the products and services of your peers when you don't let that success trickle down to us. I know, I know, you need to keep costs down. I'm sorry. I keep forgetting that despite your fabulous riches, my contribution to your business and, indeed, my livelihood itself is your "cost." I'm so sorry about that.

Again, I know you need at least a monetary incentive to take big risks. That's totally fair, boss, I applaud you. It's just hard to know that even though you do empathise with us and perhaps shared our struggles, you don't think that that struggle itself is worth easing. I suppose that struggle is how you became men of such generous character.

With apologies,
Most people

[tik 🪀✨]

I'm not trying to make anyone on here agree with me. I just feel someone should point out that certain things are wrong.

Uh.. I read through the thread again and I didn't notice you pointing out certain things as wrong at all, just that people didn't understand capital markets (which is fair enough). But besides tooting my own populist horn, I do love learning and reading insights from more knowledgeable people here. I'd wager most of us do, otherwise we wouldn't be here.

So, for fucks sake.. blow our socks off with information. Everyone will be better for it. I'm not being sarcastic.

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To reiterate what I just said, there are throngs of people who would benefit from you attempting to reason with those of us who are just stumbling into conversations about things we don't completely understand, picking our noses, and flicking snot at whoever has the most annoying tone of voice. By all means, don't send a private message ripping them to shreds, but post a public one so that everyone can learn from you.

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But, as an intelligent person, you would probably on some level appreciate being told why exactly you're making an ass of yourself. Just.. share, will you? Christ. What you're doing is even worse than the guy who comes in and spouts idiocy. You've walked into the conversation and announced that you are disappointed the conversation isn't up to par, but you won't go into detail about why, thus keeping the conversation below par and making everyone else feel uncomfortable.

If you were at my dinner party, I'd pretend to drop a serviette and wink to the hostess across the table, ducking beneath the tablecloth to whisper to her that you're totally not getting asked to stick around for the crème brûlée.