Comments on: Would We Be Happier If We Paid More Taxes?

By: U.S. vs Other Countries’ Tax Rates : Bizzia - Business News and Commentary – Finance and Business Tips

Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:09:23 +0000

[...] end of what we pay. But, at the same time, we are also often annoyed at how those taxes are used. Would we be happier with our taxes if we had a greater say in how they were used, and whether or not they actually benefited the [...]

By: Trying to Reduce My Health Insurance Costs : Yielding Wealth - Personal Finance Tips - Money Management Advice

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 17:58:03 +0000

[...] to individuals, for the most part, than subsidizing it through the government through slightly higher taxes. But that’s another [...]

By: Miranda Marquit

Miranda Marquit — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:27:28 +0000

I think a lot of people probably agree with you. In my case, though, universal health care would be less expensive, since my health insurance costs keep going up — even when I don’t use it!

By: The Carnival of Pecuniary Delights : Yielding Wealth - Personal Finance Tips - Money Management Advice

Tue, 26 May 2009 17:21:54 +0000

[...] but I did take part in the last Carnival of Pecuniary Delights, held at Almost Frugal. My post on whether or not we’d be happier paying more taxes was included. Some of the other entries in this week’s carnival that I especially enjoyed [...]

By: Slinky

Slinky — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:19:39 +0000

I’m totally against universal health care and other similar programs. I disagree in principle and it would cost me more.

(I also believe the government would screw it up.)

By: The Carnival of Pecuniary Delights — Almost Frugal- a frugal blog

The Carnival of Pecuniary Delights — Almost Frugal- a frugal blog — Thu, 21 May 2009 06:42:56 +0000

[...] from Yielding Wealth asks Would We Be Happier If We Paid More Taxes?. I know that I am happier trading higher taxes for lower healthcare [...]

By: Miranda Marquit

Miranda Marquit — Mon, 18 May 2009 15:34:26 +0000

I can certainly see where you are coming from. If we were to do something like universal health care, we would definitely need a system that worked better. But, considering the state of our present system (and I have “good” health insurance), I’m not sure it could be much worse. Our health care system is worse than most of the developed world’s — and we pay way more than anyone else.

By: Bible Money Matters

Bible Money Matters — Sun, 17 May 2009 03:35:13 +0000

I can tell you right now – no, i would not be happier with higher taxes and socialized health care/etc. I think people in those countries happen to be happy in spite of having to pay such high taxes, etc. I think our government gets way too much of our money already -and has found ways of wasting it lately through this bailout or that bailout. I don’t trust government to make wise choices with our money. These are the same people who did such a bang up job on social security and medicare! :)

By: Miranda Marquit

Miranda Marquit — Sun, 17 May 2009 02:14:34 +0000

I think you make a good point. We expect certain services from our government, and they have to be paid for. Here in America, we expect education, someone to take care of the roads, Social Security and a number of other things. It’s actually rather amazing if you stop and think about the things we expect from government at this point. And it all costs money. Of course, we have come to expect too much in some cases — we expect the government to pay for local projects and scramble to get money for things that don’t actually benefit larger society. And sometimes the government just wastes money on things that are totally unnecessary.

By: MoneyEnergy

MoneyEnergy — Sat, 16 May 2009 23:23:53 +0000

Great article and discussion of a very complicated issue! I’m Canadian, and I still pay for some health care services and drugs. So Americans shouldn’t think it’s 100% “socialized” up here somehow. Yet on the other hand, there’s the oft-mentioned fact about rampant inflation (as you know) being the “silent tax” all Americans are going to (are?) paying with the devaluation of the US dollar. So it might be the old “half dozen of the one, six of the other” problem. Countries everywhere have to tax their citizens in one way or another for certain services, and the debate is whether they should be privatized (and by how much). The best way around it is to redirect more of your own money back into your own life and become financially free or as close to it as you can get. And your husband made a good point too, above.