Taxes and Traveling in 2013
Is everyone just as excited as Rick Steves about the expiration of the 2 percent Social Security tax rate reduction (see latest US News & World Report article)? He's apparently giddy. Will paying an extra couple thousand to Uncle Sam in 2013 keep you from traveling to Europe this year? Personally, it won't affect my own decisions about traveling, but that's a lot of money for a lot of people, and I can certainly understand how it might have an impact for some. What say you? Can you still afford his tours?
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/washington-whispers/2013/01/02/patriotic-millionaire-rick-steves-is-really-really-excited-about-his-tax-increase
Michael
Des Moines, IA 1/3/13
Send Private Message
‹ Previous Page:2
People do learn and grow in college.
This thread amazes me that its still here,,, I am rather impressed. All these different views and opinions allowed to stand,, its very, " democratic" lol
Laura, thank you for your great post.
"What say you? Can you still afford his tours?"
I'm going to disregard all the political comments and answer the OP's original question. I couldn't afford RS tours anyway so it won't affect me and yes, I will still travel to Europe in 2013 if I want to go (probably won't go till 2014 but reasons have nothing to do with money and certainly not taxes) but I will travel my way, more on the budget side.
Very interesting responses though.
Nope. Won't make a difference in my decisions about where to travel this year. And I have zero interest in taking a guided RS Tour of Europe (or one with any other tour operator for that matter).
What say you about Gerard Depardieu abandoning France to hop on a plane and suck down some blinis with Vladimir Putin so he can move to Russia and avoid paying those higher taxes Gerard feels are being doled out by the Socialists as a punishment for being successful? Is he as 'shabby and unpatriotic' as the French PM claims?
I would say that he's about as relevant as Randy Quaid, has problems with drunk driving, and may have some mental issues requiring treatment, but he has a right to seek another passport if that's what he wants. Given his sizeable girth, I would have guessed him a prime candidate for a U.S. passport, but in his new region of Russia, he has access to plenty of vodka, fatty foods, and a fine assortment of working gulags to visit. Seriously, he's probably mentally ill. Every four years it seems, certain Hollywood types will complain that their next move is to Canada should a particular presidential candidate be voted in, yet when that happens, they never actually move. I don't know why...I can't think of a couple of better places than Toronto or Vancouver. I suppose we should give the man some credit for putting his money where his mouth is. In the meantime, the other 99.999% of French millionaires are staying home and finding creative ways to avoid the new taxes, like rich people everywhere do.
I wonder what tax loopholes and creative tax avoidance strategies Rick's company uses? Surely, he employs an accounting firm.
Okay, Walt: Where's the best place to see Rick Steves in Chicagoland in January? Does that keep your shorts out of a wad?
this is a travel site, Ask where the best view of a sunset is in Nice, or something like that...
Crash
Sindelfingen, Germany formerly Santa Rosa Beach, FL
Posts: 124
Send Private Message
I like this thread!
To stay on topic, I'm happy working in Europe, so far. So it won't effect me traveling from the U.S. to here at all. Never could afford RS Tours before, anyway.
But, to join in to the other discussion, one thing seems amazing to me, in this great experiment of this Representative Republic that we call America.
How come we never get to vote for anyone who is a problem solver? Never an engineer, scientist, an acountant, etc, etc. No! Always an attorney, barrister, banker, corporate lackey. We always have to choose from one clown or the other clown.
I know of a guy who was mayor of a major city, and he always said, "If you you always vote for what you have, you will always get, what you got." So true.
(He is in prison now in Alabama.)
And please, never compare Randy Quaid to Gerard Depardieu. Randy was good as Lester Marlow in "The Last Picture Show" Gerard is just fat!
‹ Previous Page:2