It’s not just for the rich. I’m by no means rich but firmly in the middle class. I withhold the standard calculation based on the IRS’ own formula and i get a pretty decent refund every year. Mortgage interest, charity donations, and student loans (all things lots of people have) reduce tax burden a decent amount.
You’re missing the forest for the trees. There are plenty of ways to encourage actions without coupling them to taxes. Make the tax code simple, and put the complexity in the systems that deal with people.
It’s not just for the rich. I’m by no means rich but firmly in the middle class. I withhold the standard calculation based on the IRS’ own formula and i get a pretty decent refund every year. Mortgage interest, charity donations, and student loans (all things lots of people have) reduce tax burden a decent amount.
You’re missing the forest for the trees. There are plenty of ways to encourage actions without coupling them to taxes. Make the tax code simple, and put the complexity in the systems that deal with people.