25% flat, no deductions.

If social welfare is needed, give 6000 euros to each citizen every year, a cheque every month.

Preferably, abolish income tax altogether, replace with single tax and fees for goverment services. (Government services includes the building of highways or public transport systems which make driving on free roads possible. Such services should be funded by petrol levies.)

25%? I'm not sure how things are where you live, but a 25% flat tax would be a tax increase for the vast majority of Americans.

Note that the 6000 quid per year would offset a lot of that. Also note that I think sales taxes etc. should be abolished.

Here taxes start at 20%, I am paying 42%. 25% sounds like a natural conclusion to me, because it's 1/4 of what one produces. I like even numbers.

If you make 20,000 a year, under my system you'd get to keep

20,000 * 0.75 + 6000 = 21,000 (I think)

If you make 35,000 a year:

30,000 * 0.75 + 6000 = 32,250 (possibly)

If you make 100,000 a year: 81,000

If you have no income: 6000

Whether this would constitute lower or higher taxes I do not know for any given country. But my goal was not to make taxes lower or higher, my goal was to come up with a fair system. And I think this system is fair.

Modify the 6000 quids as needed. I was going for a 500 quid/month citizen's dividend.

A 15% flat tax would destroy ALL low and most middle income families.

Ahahahahahaa. I see you're talking out of your ass again Col. Let's see, so far, this year at my current job I've grossed $13,346.66 since the end of April. I've been taxed $2,547.80 so far this year (this does NOT exclude things like medical, dental, vision and life insurance which also comes out of my own pocket). Let's do some math shall we:

Seven...five...carry the one...

Oh, lookee here...it appears that I'm being taxed at a rate of about 19% give or take. Let me take a look around...hmmm, I live in my own house, I'm paying off about $25,000 in credit debt, I own three cars free and clear. Oh, what's this? A $20 bill in my pocket? Well I'll be.

Yeah, Col, I'm really hurting with that 15%. Last I looked, I was middle class. I made some piss-poor financial decisions in the late 90's (hence the credit debt), but I seem to be doing just fine over here.

I thought that a flat tax of 15% federal and 5% state would have been good, but I kind of like whip's idea of having a kind of hybrid system. It's pretty fair and eases the pinch on those who really need that extra cash, while putting just a little extra burden on those who can afford to let go of another 1 or 2% without noticing too much. I'd set it at around 8, 14 and 20% myself (total state and federal).

Seems to be working fine for me.

-- B