Speaking of Goverment
and wasting Time!
It is the end of a Quarter and I spent the day completing Tax Returns for a non-profit. It is hard to imagine (even to me) just how many returns are required to be filed for a company that does not pay taxes. In fact, they do pay taxes. They pay payroll taxes and workman’s compensation; more on that later.
Of course, a Federal Return is required every year. But the Feds also insist on monthly deposits of the payroll taxes, quarterly summary of payments and an annual reconciliation. Then there are the yearly W-2 and 1099 Reports. That is 15 pieces of paper and 3 thick packets of paper that the Feds get every year.
The State wants their annual Tax Return and quarterly payroll tax payments, along with separate quarterly payroll reconciliations. That sounds easy, then you remember that, the State also wants separate monthly payroll statistics reports. If I just count payroll returns, I fill out 38 pieces of paper.
Sales tax requires another 12 returns a year; 8 estimates and 4 quarterly returns. Then there is Property Tax. Non-profits do not pay property tax, but they fill an Exemption Statement annually and follow that up with a Tax Return telling the County about the Property that they do not owe taxes on. Next there are Business Licenses, one for the County and another 3 to the State. Someone needs to explain to me why both the State Attorney General and the Secretary of State each need a Report. Why not combine the 2 Reports into one and mail them each a copy on the same day, not 30 days apart. Better yet, why not combine the Reports and let them share the data via computer.
That make 59 pieces of paper that I fill out each year. And that does not include the 12 Workman’s Compensation monthly forms. We do not call Workman’s Comp a tax, but any insurance that is mandated by the Federal and State governments sounds like a Tax to me. I forgot the Vehicle License; that makes a round 80.
Think of the large store rooms in the government offices; filled with paper. Think of the government printing offices, printing out all those forms and envelopes. Think of the fancy machines, stuffing the many envelopes and the other machines that slit the many envelopes they receive back. Think of the many clerks typing the volume of information into the computers. Think of millions spent on computers to calculate and store all this data.
Of course, the State has become very automated; you can fill out the returns online now. That would save them a lot of money. I am very sympathetic; but it would not save me any time. In fact, it would probably double the amount of time it takes me to fill out all that paper. First I would still have to fill out the return, so I know I have all the information and it all adds up. Then I would have to sign on to the Internet, find the correct website and tax return and fill out the return again. Of course their software does not calculate anything, so I would use my calculator to make sure I did not make any typos. I forgot to mention the part about establishing an account with each Government Agency and the passwords I would need to remember for each. Sorry, it is faster for me to copy the return and stuff it in an envelope.
Something should to be done; but I know nothing will happen, except some Agency will figure out another piece of information that they need and they will create another Form and create another whole buearacracy around the new Form. Of course, every business will have to send a check varying from $20 to 100 to pay for handling the Form. They probably will not charge us, but we will still need to fill it out.
