Fair is fair
I won't say which ex-wife it was, but one of them didn't like the way we were handling our money. We had a joint checking account, a joint savings account, put both of our checks into the bank on payday and I managed the money. I paid all the bills. She had a checkbook and an ATM card. And credit cards. The only "rule" was she had to tell me before spending more than $50, so I could move money around if needed, or tell her which credit card to use.
She decided she didn't like that system. So we changed things. I gave her half of all of the cash, closed the joint account and opened my own. She kept her checks, I kept mine and we each paid half of the bills. Of course, since at the time I was earning 70% of the total income and she was earning only 30%, soon she was always broke and I was always flush with money. She knew better than to ask me for any. I'd told her that this was a bad move on her part and she didn't want to listen.
Then she tried to suggest that I should be sharing my money with her, but allowing her to keep hers separate. I wasn't going for that idea. I offered to go back to the old system, but she refused. Not long after that was when we separated. Now I'm not suggesting that money was the reason, but I will say it's a stressor in many relationships. And what's usually missing is the element of fairness.
So I just can't wrap my head around the federal government's position on dividing up the income, deductions, withholding and so on for couples in community property states. Married heterosexual couples, or same-sex couples who have been able to legally marry in their state, or in the alternative, been able to create a registered domestic partnership, have to deal with some weird rules.
A married heterosexual couple who files jointly has no issues involving community property. But if they decide to file separately, then each must claim half of the income of the other and half of their own. It gets confusing, and complicated to do on the tax return. The problem is that the IRS wants same-sex couples to do the same thing if they are married in a community property state, or have a legally recognized domestic partnership.
But then the IRS won't give that same-sex couple access to all of the other "tax favored" credits, deductions and so on that married heterosexual couples enjoy. Just not fair, is it? The IRS wants to have the cake and eat it to. This must change.
It is also not fair that a 15 year old girl took her own life in the wake of being brutally assaulted while unconscious at a party. I remember people passing out at parties when I was a teen. No one did anything crueler to them than maybe writing something on their face with a marker? Even that seems like a violation now, but that's as far as it went back then. And I'm not blaming the victim here, but I have to wonder what is going on that has teens, or anyone, drinking themselves into such a vulnerable state.
One of the reasons McDonald's cites in trying to explain their falling sales is feedback from customers about how their employees are 'rude'. So the fast food giant is trying to address this. Considering 9 out of 10 McDonald's locations are owned by a franchisee, they don't have much control over this.
This Date in History (April 12th)
On this date in 1606, the Union Flag becomes the flag of English and Scottish ships.
On this date in 1831, soldiers marching on a suspension bridge in Manchester England, cause it to collapse.
On this date in 1864, the Fort Pillow massacre takes place. Confederate soldiers murder most of the African-American soldiers that had surrendered at Fort Pillow, TN.
On this date in 1928, a German plane took off on the first East to West transatlantic flight.
On this date in 1945, FDR dies while in office, and Harry Truman is sworn in to replace him. To this day, rumors swirl that FDR died "in the saddle".
On this date in 1999, President Clinton is cited for contempt of court for giving false statements in a sexual harassment civil lawsuit.
Famous Folk Born on This Date:
Henry Clay
Ann Miller
Hardy Kruger
Tiny Tim (tiptoeing through the tulips in Heaven now)
Charles Napier ("We're the Good Ole Boys")
Herbie Hancock
Ed O'Neill
Tom Clancy
Dan Lauria
David Letterman
Scott Turow
Andy Garcia
Shannen Doherty
Marley Shelton
Claire Danes
She decided she didn't like that system. So we changed things. I gave her half of all of the cash, closed the joint account and opened my own. She kept her checks, I kept mine and we each paid half of the bills. Of course, since at the time I was earning 70% of the total income and she was earning only 30%, soon she was always broke and I was always flush with money. She knew better than to ask me for any. I'd told her that this was a bad move on her part and she didn't want to listen.
Then she tried to suggest that I should be sharing my money with her, but allowing her to keep hers separate. I wasn't going for that idea. I offered to go back to the old system, but she refused. Not long after that was when we separated. Now I'm not suggesting that money was the reason, but I will say it's a stressor in many relationships. And what's usually missing is the element of fairness.
So I just can't wrap my head around the federal government's position on dividing up the income, deductions, withholding and so on for couples in community property states. Married heterosexual couples, or same-sex couples who have been able to legally marry in their state, or in the alternative, been able to create a registered domestic partnership, have to deal with some weird rules.
A married heterosexual couple who files jointly has no issues involving community property. But if they decide to file separately, then each must claim half of the income of the other and half of their own. It gets confusing, and complicated to do on the tax return. The problem is that the IRS wants same-sex couples to do the same thing if they are married in a community property state, or have a legally recognized domestic partnership.
But then the IRS won't give that same-sex couple access to all of the other "tax favored" credits, deductions and so on that married heterosexual couples enjoy. Just not fair, is it? The IRS wants to have the cake and eat it to. This must change.
It is also not fair that a 15 year old girl took her own life in the wake of being brutally assaulted while unconscious at a party. I remember people passing out at parties when I was a teen. No one did anything crueler to them than maybe writing something on their face with a marker? Even that seems like a violation now, but that's as far as it went back then. And I'm not blaming the victim here, but I have to wonder what is going on that has teens, or anyone, drinking themselves into such a vulnerable state.
One of the reasons McDonald's cites in trying to explain their falling sales is feedback from customers about how their employees are 'rude'. So the fast food giant is trying to address this. Considering 9 out of 10 McDonald's locations are owned by a franchisee, they don't have much control over this.
This Date in History (April 12th)
On this date in 1606, the Union Flag becomes the flag of English and Scottish ships.
On this date in 1831, soldiers marching on a suspension bridge in Manchester England, cause it to collapse.
On this date in 1864, the Fort Pillow massacre takes place. Confederate soldiers murder most of the African-American soldiers that had surrendered at Fort Pillow, TN.
On this date in 1928, a German plane took off on the first East to West transatlantic flight.
On this date in 1945, FDR dies while in office, and Harry Truman is sworn in to replace him. To this day, rumors swirl that FDR died "in the saddle".
On this date in 1999, President Clinton is cited for contempt of court for giving false statements in a sexual harassment civil lawsuit.
Famous Folk Born on This Date:
Henry Clay
Ann Miller
Hardy Kruger
Tiny Tim (tiptoeing through the tulips in Heaven now)
Charles Napier ("We're the Good Ole Boys")
Herbie Hancock
Ed O'Neill
Tom Clancy
Dan Lauria
David Letterman
Scott Turow
Andy Garcia
Shannen Doherty
Marley Shelton
Claire Danes
posted by me at 7:03 AM
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