The Limits of Reform

In the last week, the ideas behind President Trump’s tax reform plan finally started to become known. And it is natural for everyone to read the details and think about how it will affect their situation. No matter what answer you came up with, though, don’t start thinking that it means anything definite. Just remember the back-and-forth battle with health care that has occurred since Trump took office as an example of how difficult turning thought into action can be. 

And since that is still so much up in the air, there is no reason for me to delve into the nuts and bolts of what is being proposed. Just know that we will remain on top of it so that you can trust your tax returns are in capable hands when any changes come.

I do, however, want to talk about the idea of how what is being proposed is being framed in terms of making taxes easier to understand and the tax code less complicated. But when so many pieces are involved, isn’t it bound to be a little complicated? Taxes are a huge way that a giant country of hundreds of millions of people is funded. And politics aside, most of those people want the government to have some level of power, and with that comes a cost. There will never be an end to the debate of how much power should be used and in what areas, but it will end up being expensive no matter what. 

And because of that, there is no way this will end with a system that is simple enough that everyone can take care of their taxes on the back of an envelope. That’s a dream that will take bigger changes than simply how a tax bill is calculated.

Taxes are difficult, and no one wants to really think about how much we pay for them. It feels like money that we rightfully earned is being taken from us. But remember that they do go to fund many things that mostly everyone wants the government to do, so it’s not that bad.

At the same time, though, everyone should feel entitled to use the tax system – however the government determines it stands at the time- to their greatest advantage and keep the most money that you can in your own pocket. It’s legal and been determined you deserve it after all, right? So because of that, and because this system is going to be complicated no matter what, it’s good to have a professional by your side.

It is impossible to ignore the proliferation of do-it-yourself tax products that are out there now. Do you really want to teach yourself how to handle things that can be this difficult, though? No one wants a fly-by-night heart surgeon, because he works with a complicated system. Now your tax return may not be as immediately dire, but it should still be placed in capable hands.

So remember our hands are here for you, today, and through whatever the future holds. 
​Warmly,

Nicole Odeh
Connect to Us ~ Facebook ~ Twitter