As IF Times

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Since I”m an average person,  let’s chronicle my activities on a recent day to observe the tax exposure we all face on a typical day.  Some of the activities are one-off, but the majority are things the average person faces every day. 

Morning.

Radio alarm goes off and it happens to be an advert for a financial institution reminding us that the deadline for retirement account contribution is upon us.  We are encouraged to contribute in order to save taxes.  Turn on the light switch and am concious that tax is assessed on our electric bill.  Turn on shower and of course, tax is applicable on water and utility bill.  Brush teeth and note tax paid on purchase of toothpaste as well as mouthwash rinse.  Question whether to brush only on alternate days, but quickly reject notion.  Make some coffee, from taxed beans but at least do not pay the tax if purchased from Starbucks.

Jump into car to head downtown, mentally noting the tax paid on the purchase of car, the insurance and of course repairs from time to time.  Notice  that I’m low on fuel, so pull into gas station to fill up.  Note that price paid per unit of fuel is MAINLY tax.  Driving downtown, make mental note that roads are a result of gasoline and property taxes.  Park in parkade which has a new parking surtax just recently imposed by the city. 

Just before the morning meeting, I check stock prices on blackberry, which also requires a tax on cell phone bill.  I notice some trading positions are moving, so I effect an execution with broker, which also triggers a transaction tax.  As the morning progresses, I get a call from  son who informs me that he will need a flight back home after the school term.  Purchasing the airline ticket online yields a cost number of which  about 20% is tax and surcharges.

Afternoon.

Lunch time rolls around and I purchase something simple from the kiosk in the building, which of course requires a tax payment.  While I’m eating, some sauce drips onto white shirt.  Annoyed, I go to purchase a shirt to change into, which has requisite PST and GST charges.  During the afternoon, I get a call from my accountant reminding me to get my tax documents together for this tax year so that I can pay, what else, income tax.  I’m of course aware that his services come with a tax attached to it.  Later on in the afternoon, someone makes note of my unkempt appearance so I proceed to my barber to get a haircut, which of course includes a service tax.

Evening.

On way home, I drop by the supermarket to pick up a few things for the house and by now am very aware  of every taxable item on the list.  When I’m home, there is a message on answering machine from friends about meeting up at the Richmond O-zone, a site set up for the Olympics which are in town and of course which we are being taxed to support.  Naturally, I elect to go and purchase tickets, which of course have a tax on them, as will the food and drink consumed during the evening.  I finally get home in the late evening and check the mail, most of which are pesky bills with taxes attached to them.  Tired from a day of tax paying, I thumb through a magazine purchased earlier at the supermarket which of course, I’ve paid tax on.

This started off amusing, but wound up being depressing.  I fall into bed and as it happens, the exact same radio ad about retirement account contribution is on again.  Someone’s gonna get a hurt real bad.