Should military pay be taxed?

A fantasy game design for Wall Street, really? If you actually GaFS look up which presidents have had a balanced budget and which haven't, go all the way back to Eisenhower over a half a century ago... the problem becomes startlingly obvious.

Sorry, a specious argument here. With a progressive income tax schedule the lower pay scale of service members is offset by lower tax rates at those levels. Some segments of public service must actually pay well or at least competitively to attract competent employees... you know, positions you can't trust to idiots. Retirement benefits become a significant consideration in the comparison as well. As far as the 'socialist' comment, do you really understand how socialism relates to the year 20.. whatever? Do you understand the difference between socialism, social democracy and democratic socialists? Ya, probably not, but you can look it up right here in the next 20 seconds. No, you can't go by what some twits call themselves, you have to go by what they do and support. But one thing, I know if you've ever called 911 for fire or police or anything like that in this country, congratulations!!! You are one of those flaming commie SOCIAL DEMOCRATS... ya, the actual, current, active form of government in the United States of America.

Not just Base Pay is taxed. Anything that has the word "pay" in it is taxed as well unless you are in a tax-free zone (combat zone). Sea pay, Separation Pay, even Combat Pay (Imminent Danger Pay) is taxable outside those zones. Only things that are not taxed are "allowances", like clothing allowance, housing allowance and subsistence allowance.

SFC (Join to see) - Just backwards. PAY is taxed...Allowances are not.

I have a pay voucher from June 1965 showing both federal and FICA taxes being withheld.

SFC Hashbun i don't get your point. Are counting allowances? If so single personnel don't get it back.

SSG Russell Busicchia Put simply, the average young servicemember is fiscally irresponsible. If Soldiers recieved 100% of their pay, tax free, most would blow it every paycheck on alcohol, cigarettes and (insert vice here ). That tax return at the end of the year is often the ONLY savings a Soldier recieves.

Love it...LMFAO

Very true Ronald.

SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth paying taxes on funds that have already been taxed to pay for our military? That's double taxation which is consitutionly illegal, but your OK with that?

SFC (Join to see) - Once the money is in the general fund and redistributed it is not "double taxation". Income is income. Only time you don't get taxed is when you are in a hostile fire zone.

LCDR (Join to see) that is the most logical statement I have had on this subject so far.