Hi Deri!!
      
           The US Tax system makes no sense. One of your Federal Tax
deductions are your state taxes, But your state doesn't give you the
reciprocal for the Fed tax.

           Well, did it seem cheaper maybe becasue of the exchange rate?

            I get one deduction for Amber as a dependent then an additional
tax credit of 600.00.
            I also get a small deduction for my tuition, and for donations
to the goodwill, church etc.

            Some places like Arlington have a 9% resturant tax on top of the
4.5% Va tax. I think DC has this also. Some states like Maryland have no tax
on food. No winning. 

                                                                     Trisha 



> Many thanks to you and everyone else for educating me on the vagaries of
> the
> US Tax system!!
> 
> It seems that your direct taxation is quite a bit lower, but indirect
> taxation
> is probably higher (although when I was over there Sep 2001 many things
> seemed marginally cheaper - economies of scale possibly).
> 
> In the UK there are very few "deductions" you can make on gross income.
> Children receive a "Child Allowance" (£15 per week 1st child, £10 pw for
> further children) which is paid direct to the Mum's. Although this is
> being
> gradually phased out (hasn't kept pace with inflation for years). Every
> child
> gets this, but its being replaced with a Chikd Tax Credit, but this is on
> a
> sliding scale based on parental income.
> 
> I'm amazed you pay Sales tax on food. Over here Food, Childrens clothes
> and
> books are exempt. (A perk for small adults, :-))
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Deri
> 
> On Friday 02 May 2003 7:43 pm, you wrote:
> > Hi Deri,
> >
> >     Having just done my taxes my breakdown for 2002 looks like
> >
> >      after deductions my Federal tax rate was - 4.36% or 1868.00 on a
> > taxable Income of 24,078.00 This is not the income amount its the part I
> > owe taxes on - this is the amount due after decuctions - such as
> interest
> > on house, credit for child etc.
> >      after deductions I paid the state of Virginia 1478.19
> >
> >      I paid 2324.21 to Fairfax for property tax on my house -
> >      I paid 142.00  Virginia and Fairfax for car tax and county sticker.
> >      The going Virginia rate on food and purchase items is 4.5%  which
> > using a figure of 500 a month would be about 270.00
> >
> >      that equal s - 6082.40  roughly paid out. I can hardly wait to see
> the
> > amount when Amber isn't a deduction anymore and since I didn't have Alex
> > all year I wasn't able to deduct her for 2002
> >
> >                                           Trisha - no wonder I need 3
> jobs
> > to survive!!!
> >