CAT | Tax
As lawyers, we are required to keep abreast of new developments in the law, not just in our chosen areas of expertise, but across the field generally. This stems from both a desire to be well-rounded attorneys and from professional curiosity. However, some areas of American law touch on the lives of everyone, attorneys and non-attorneys alike. One such area is tax law.
The horror! All joking aside, tax time is a stressful time for all because none of us want to make mistakes in paying our fair share to Uncle Sam. However, as the Center for Freedom and Prosperity recently highlighted, the costs of merely complying with America’s confusing thicket of tax regulations totals 7.6 billion man hours (yes, that’s “billion” with a “b”), the equivalent of 3.8 million full-time jobs. In fact, the tax compliance business is a $340 billion per year industry. Staggering numbers, to be sure. The video explaining these costs, a part of CF&P’s “Economics 101″ project, can be seen here.
As always, it’s best to consult professionals, whether they be lawyers, accountants, or the IRS itself, if you have any questions regarding your tax obligations. However, the hidden compliance costs in both time and money (which, oftentimes, are the same thing) are worth mulling over the next time April 15 draws near.