Will you pay cash for services?

Yes, Catharine, really.

yes to the last part..but Im a lot older than you...lived a lot longer...and aware that if most people are given a get out of jail card re: paying for services that others might benefit...there is no way they will...that is why tax avoidance happens...we dont live in a happy clappy world, with people caring about eachother...having nursed...worked in a homeless hostel and as a social worker...you find a lot of people only care about themselves...and in schools...for instance...a parent doesnt want to pay for their childs schooling...so what happens? the kid doesnt get schooled...? or the poor put upon teachers..teach the kid for free...p*ssing off all the other parents...Zoe...what you would like to happen is Utopia....it aint gonna happen!

"yes, I believe that everyone providing a service can be, and deserves to be paid without having to give a cut to government."

Really?

you buy a kitchen, and if the guy avoids paying tax, and you're not happy, find another guy. That's your part done.

If you do hire the guy, and he doesn't pay his taxes, that's bad form out of HIM, perhaps, not you.

besides, what "services" do you need?? Everything we need, we pay for, and the taxes attached, for that matter. Insurance is not a tax, it is a contract with a company in good faith that you will try to be careful, but in the event you are involved in an accident, they will help you. A paid service.

As for education, the parents ARE paying for education, as are sponsors, religious organisations, and whoever else has their dirty claws in your school. i believe that teachers could teach (those that are in it for the real reason of teaching, and developing the minds of kids) with payment directly from the parents, a direct fund set up by the small community affected. That is too far out of reach right now, because of so many factors, but, yes, I believe that everyone providing a service can be, and deserves to be paid without having to give a cut to government.

when more people are free to do this, there is more compassion in society, and more elderly, disabled, and disadvantaged can be helped, out of love and care, not out of begrudged tax payments. Wouldn't it be so much better for your mother to know the people funding her cared, and were there to help, rather know they were people already strapped to the ropes,and begrudging it because it was the money they might have used to buy their child a new coat.

come on Zoe...look at it this way....you need a new kitchen..you pay in cash...the guy who fits the kitchen avoids paying tax...now where exactly is anyone paying towards services we need? are you really suggesting that we pay to put our kids in school at the point of access? that we pay for treatment when we have a car accident to save our lives...(no insurance..no treatment?)....my mother..a lifelong labour party voter..believes we should all avoid paying tax..because the government is so wealthy.. they shouldnt tax us...she believes the government has a nice big fat bank account and the money falls from the skies...but...she for instance..is too poor to pay her rent since my dad died...she has benefits, first time in her life...but her pension alone not enough to live on...now if we were not paying taxes...guess she...or other old age pensioners would starve...is that really your idea of utopia

See, I believe that we don't need a government, telling us what to do, and getting paid for the privilege of screwing us up.

Would you prefer to give a local electrician cash, or continue to pay tax to a government that are quite literally benefit cheats, and tax dodgers both in one.

i agree with your statement "if we all want services..why should people not pay towards those services" until there.... my end to that sentence would have been, "paying the service PROVIDER, and not some bureaucrat in between who never even knows the transaction is taking place."

I also believe that if I have an agreement with someone whereby we both give each other something, a service, a bunch of bananas, or cash, it is up to both parties, to consent, carry out the deal, and carry on living. Nowhere in this deal or agreement does the government, our neighbours, or anyone else come into it. what people do with their money (their HARD EARNED CASH) is up to them. Whether they want to declare it, doesn't bother me. I'm actually more bothered by people who spend their money on "made in China" goods.

That is why...we use almost no cash...paying by card and if needs be, by cheque...

ok...agree to disagree...but Greece is a case in point of a country where they thought they could get away with not paying tax....if we all want services..why should people not pay towards those services..why should those on PAYE pay the full 20, 30 or 40% and others just avoid..but still enjoy the services that those paying tax have made possible for them? something I feel strongly about...see no reason to make tax only essential for those employed rather than self employed.

what happened in greece is a little more complicated than tax avoidance, but that's for another day.

builders, roofers, and even beekeepers if they're actually in business, are required to have a vat number, and pay tax. How much of their revenue they decide to put "through the books" is another story. Did you know that very often when you eat in a restaurant, the owner is only declaring a fraction of the customers he has that night. I know bars that will take money after closing time, and put it in the cash drawer without ringing it into a till, or computer.

If I needed a local roofer, I think I would pay him cash, if he did the job right, and wasn't ripping me off. I often take on extras for service when we have big events at the hotel, and they are paid cash. I later have to declare that I took them, and paid them, and pay a tax on that, but I could, if I wanted, get away with it very easily. Some extras ONLY want to be paid cash. In my opinion, as long as they do the job they're paid for, I don't give a toss about the taxman's loss

But thats not cash in hand Zoe....and trading is, I think, a practice that has gone back many years...and even the government cant touch it, and I dont think they care less.

I was talking about cash in hand for Artisans who clearly dont pay tax...have come across builders...who have charged us several hundred euros for a job....and when we offer a cheque they have refused and insisted on cash...one guy we paid several thousand to....for 3 weeks work...this was for the work...not the equipment fitted...and he told us the following week...he didnt earn enough to pay tax! Frankly I object...I pay tax...at the going rate... always have...as has OH...no clever accountants...and am amazed at the number of Artisans who have blatantly told us..no cheque or we will have to pay tax!!!! far as I can see..thats exactly what happened to Greece...no taxes..no hospitals, health service, school, roads..blah blah blah....

Depends on what it's for. When I give the neighbour a jar of honey in return for a dozen eggs, we don't trade siret numbers. i pay income tax (twice-once monthly, and the annual return at the end of the year), I pay road tax, bin charges, water charges(all taxes), and then some.. On top of that, everything I consume, almost, is taxed. So, from what the state has left me at the end of all my taxing, I'm paying encore more tax on my bottle of beer at the end of the year.

We choose to get a lot of our meat, and veg locally, and we trade, with eggs, honey, and other goods. no money changes hands, and so, no taxes are being paid. A friend recently did some work on our house, and we didn't "pay" him, but rather, agreed to install a beehive in his garden, and show him how to look after them.

Are we to feel bad for not contributing during this trade? I don't.

You are right Ben....the key is to agree prior to work starting...took us a while to work that out....

I never pay cash, unless there's a (VAT-) specified bill that comes with it. And I agree on the way of payment before the work starts. You'll also need that bill when an artisan does a faulty job.

And I agree with you that you should pay taxes there where you choose to live. But like any other "citoyen" you are allowed to look for the holes in tax laws. I employed the services of a good accountant / tax lawyer and it saved me about 45% of taxes to be paid, and am still within the obligations of the law.