Devil in the Details
Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2022 10:18 pm
K R O W E
designing
Keres leaned back in the tired arm chair and rubbed his eyes till his vision blurred. Before him was a stack of documents picked up from the OIR, Office of Imperial Revenue, its front page titled with print so bold it bordered on threatening: PUBLICATION 17. Imperial Income Tax Guide for Individuals. Stamped with a seal in the top left corner of the table of contents, its symbol included the scales of justice bordered with a sprig of leaves. Imperial Revenue Service. He restacked the papers and licked his thumb, propping his feet upon the stack of pallets and shifted to a more comfortable position.
All material in this publication may be reprinted freely. A citation to your Imperial Income Tax would be appropriate.
Contents
Reminders
Introduction
Part One. The Imperial Tax Return... 6
1. Filing Information... 6
2. Filing Status...22
3. Dependents ...26
4. Tax Witholding and Estimated Tax ...37
Keres knew very little about taxes, and for most of his life, had been paid under the table, or acquired money without legal employment. Given his current job at a warehouse down by the river, he was getting a proper paycheck, not that he would it call it proper or pay. If anything, it was insult. Each day his back ached, his hands felt stiff, and the only reason he hadn't kicked the supervisor's teeth in while quitting were the benefits one could garner in his line of work.
Connections and export permits aside, he would be expected to file the proper paperwork this year, and he had no doubt the Imperial was watching. He just had to make sure that when they turned their scrutiny upon him, he had a smile on his face and his ducks in a row. Nothing to see her, his face would say, Another happy citizen in the grand city of Gel'Grandal!
He sucked his teeth and continued to read:
If you are an Imperial citizen or resident, whether you must file a return depends on three factors.
1. Your gross income.
2. Your filing status.
3. Your age
All material in this publication may be reprinted freely. A citation to your Imperial Income Tax would be appropriate.
Contents
Reminders
Introduction
Part One. The Imperial Tax Return... 6
1. Filing Information... 6
2. Filing Status...22
3. Dependents ...26
4. Tax Witholding and Estimated Tax ...37
Keres knew very little about taxes, and for most of his life, had been paid under the table, or acquired money without legal employment. Given his current job at a warehouse down by the river, he was getting a proper paycheck, not that he would it call it proper or pay. If anything, it was insult. Each day his back ached, his hands felt stiff, and the only reason he hadn't kicked the supervisor's teeth in while quitting were the benefits one could garner in his line of work.
Connections and export permits aside, he would be expected to file the proper paperwork this year, and he had no doubt the Imperial was watching. He just had to make sure that when they turned their scrutiny upon him, he had a smile on his face and his ducks in a row. Nothing to see her, his face would say, Another happy citizen in the grand city of Gel'Grandal!
He sucked his teeth and continued to read:
If you are an Imperial citizen or resident, whether you must file a return depends on three factors.
1. Your gross income.
2. Your filing status.
3. Your age
He went through the introductions, the paragraphs that informed the general public how their tax was calculated, who it affected and why. The changes from this year and the last. And yet, while the information was provided to all, able to be picked up and pursued at any time so that the citizens could understand the government's demands, Keres knew of only a handful of individuals knowledgeable on the process. And none of which were the kind of fellows he found on his side of town. That was both good and bad. Good, as it meant that if he could learn it, he'd understand the rules better. And as he gained income, especially the legitimate kind, he'd know how to play the game the way it was intended.
Keres was young and arrogant, but not nearly foolish enough to think he had enough sway to change a system that had been in place for centuries. The downside was that he'd be in demand a bit more, and not everyone that would require his services would be the kind you wanted to garner the attention of.
Reaching for the pen tucked behind his ear, he underlined various vocabulary, words he wanted to remember or look further into. Standard filing status. Dependents. Premium tax credits. Advanced tax credits. Deductions. Investment income. Gross income. Adjusted gross income. Modified adjusted gross income. Multiple support agreements.
The publication in his lap began to gather a scattered collection of lines and blots of ink, where the old pen failed to perform.
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