It's been said that death and taxes are the only sure things in life.
Taxes are the means of supporting government. Taxes fund government projects. Taxes are collected from individuals and businesses and are used for benefits enjoyed by society. From schools to roads to policeman protecting citizens, taxes are necessary to fund government and society.
Taxes are collected in different ways. There are taxes on owned property, on purchases, on payroll earnings, and on just about anything else you can imagine. There are county, city, state, and federal taxes.
Tax rates vary according to changes in the law. CPA's and lawyers should be consulted regarding any questions you have about taxes.
Please pay your share and don't ever try and cheat the system. Living in a free society, we each carry responsibility to fund our government. The fines and jail time that can be imposed on you for cheating could be far more than what you would pay, anyway.
There are legal ways to lower your taxes (consult a CPA for current laws). These legal ways to lower taxes include: contribute more to your 401k retirement program, donate to charities, purchase a house (the interest is tax deductible), claiming your dependents, and getting tax credits.
Avoid tax scams; they hurt us all. Work with a CPA or tax lawyer to understand legal deductions, tax credits, and incentives. Don't trust internet sites that promise to remove any taxes you owe...they generallyl charge you a fee and YOU will pay, possibly in more ways than one! (jail terms and fines).
If something sounds to good to be true, it probably is!