Issue 263 Don't tax our seniors Febuary 3, 2014

Our senior citizens have done much to build us up. They have toiled away for most of there lives trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. Yet we continue to tax them. Should we not give back to them rather than steal from their bank accounts? I think so and here is how I think it should be done.

Federal level: At this level of government seniors are subject to progressive income taxes, taxes for Social Security and Medicare, taxes on their investments and their retirement. I say that we stop taxing all of these things. Starting at age 70, seniors become entirely tax exempt from all forms of direct taxation. While age 70 is a good start (age 75 is the current life expectancy in the United States) it will gradually go down to age 60. This would allow for seniors at age 60 to begin earning larger paychecks before retirement at age 65 when they become eligible for Social Security and Medicare benefits. As such, seniors may not have to work as hard, or as long, allowing them to retire earlier and even hopefully relax.

State and local: Here again seniors are taxed on all forms from income, from investments and even property. They are also subject to sales taxes as well. Here too direct taxation (anything that is not considered a sales tax) should be removed as a burden from them. They already struggle to live on limited incomes upon retirement, and yet the government continues to steal all that money (and in some cases taxing it twice). I have met too many seniors who struggle after retirement and are thus forced to work even into there 80s and 90s (my grandmother works at a children's clinic at age 87) just to get by. It is disgraceful to a society to subject our seniors to possible impoverishment.

Logic: Our seniors have done much to advance this country forward and yet they are taxed. Retirement does not come with an ever lasting money supply that will allow all seniors to live comfortably and to take money from an already limited income, to me, is theft. There are also those seniors who suffer from diseases, and conditions that increase their medical expenses which further limit their disposable income. As such, letting them keep and earn more if they decide they want to continue working is the best solution as they are thus less likely to need to apply for welfare or aid from the government in general.

Also, let us not forget that paying taxes and filling out forms for special exceptions becomes both burdensome and stressful for seniors which can exacerbate any physical ailments. By eliminating taxation on these seniors there becomes no need for many of those special forms save those to apply for a reduced water bill and the like. In short, less complex forms to fill out saves seniors from the burden of having to look for these financial breaks and filling out the forms in the first place.

Reducing there taxes to zero also allows seniors to stay in there homes by making it more affordable to stay in them as they will not have to pay taxes on the property. It allows seniors flexibility on living arrangements and allows them to tap into there investments without fear of the dreaded tax day that many Americans loath. In my opinion it is about giving our seniors the break they need while reducing the number that need help later on in life.

Conclusion: Some may be asking about those rich seniors like Warren Buffet or George Soros. Well, I don't care. This is not about the money a senior has or has yet to earn. It is all about recognizing first and foremost that those senior citizens helped build our country and that they earned a break from the pressures government puts on them in life. You all already know that I hate the income tax and that I wish it would all go away. However, I know that it is nearly impossible to be rid of it as it stands right now. As such, I will look for ways to get rid of it, piece by piece and who better to stop taxing first than the senior citizens who deserve a break life's burdens.