Should we incentivize two parent households within the tax code?

[FAUlty Gator]

Tax credit for households with two parents with children in the household, over and above the already given child tax credits.

I think this is a good idea. It's not punishing single moms or those non-dual parent households as their status will not be affected at all. It should apply to civil unions/ gay marriages as well, so there's no issue there. And if people get their feelings hurt by this, as a bonus, they can eat a bag of shit because no one cares what they think!

I think it's a good investment in our children. Who's with me?!?!?

 

[FAUlty Gator]

Well?

 

[SIXERS24]

I am sure it's Racist some how

 

[NorthernHawkeye]

We could also create a divorce tax and a divorcee registry, complete with a listing of the full adjudication of fault. That way future potential partners would know what they're getting into based on the results of a registration query.

 

[OILCHECKER]

What three parent households? Or even better, if you are a polygamist with 5-6 spouses, what sort of tax incentives would be appropriate?

 

[Bulldogs1974]

I agree two parent households are superior to one.
How do you think this achieves that? If you aren't there for the right reasons, I don't think it will help the child.

 

[coloradonoles]

How would this ever be qualified?

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

I would back it, but the details would need to hammered out.

Like would both people have to be biological parents of the child or would it suffice if they are both legally parents?

Or would it just count if there was 2 adults there regardless of their relationship to the child.

 

[Hawked]

Tax credit for households with two parents with children in the household, over and above the already given child tax credits.

I think this is a good idea. It's not punishing single moms or those non-dual parent households as their status will not be affected at all. It should apply to civil unions/ gay marriages as well, so there's no issue there. And if people get their feelings hurt by this, as a bonus, they can eat a bag of shit because no one cares what they think!

I think it's a good investment in our children. Who's with me?!?!?

You shouldn't de-incentivize it. That's about as far as I'd go. Not sure about taxes but student loans is an example where there could be a barrier to marriage. Biden is fixing this if the Rs will stop suing him about the topic.

 

[Sharky1203]

We could also create a divorce tax and a divorcee registry, complete with a listing of the full adjudication of fault. That way future potential partners would know what they're getting into based on the results of a registration query.

There used to be laws (I believe in the SE) that if a spouse was caught cheating, the kids would automatically go to the non-adultery parent. I'm not opposed to bringing that back.

 

[hawkbirch]

"It's not punishing single moms or those non-dual parent households as their status will not be affected at all."

How is someone not affected by something that is not available to them? Isn't that exactly what your proposal does?

 

[seminoleed]

All great ideas; which means they'll never happen.

 

[tumorboy]

We could also create a divorce tax and a divorcee registry, complete with a listing of the full adjudication of fault. That way future potential partners would know what they're getting into based on the results of a registration query.

As long as it’s retroactive.

 

[LuciousBDragon]

Tax credit for households with two parents with children in the household, over and above the already given child tax credits.

I think this is a good idea. It's not punishing single moms or those non-dual parent households as their status will not be affected at all. It should apply to civil unions/ gay marriages as well, so there's no issue there. And if people get their feelings hurt by this, as a bonus, they can eat a bag of shit because no one cares what they think!

I think it's a good investment in our children. Who's with me?!?!?

I love the intent, but disagree with this.

I think the incentive needs to be applied to a leading indicator rather than the lagging one.

For example - incentivize pre-marital counseling to help avoid a failed marriage. Not just a check-the-box counseling session but a true, rigorous course. The cost of the course should be an immediate write-off and have a bonus applied when filing with married status (I.e. married+)

Additionally, it is not necessarily two parents physically in the house that is the utmost important. Rather, it is two physically & emotionally available parents period. My parents were divorced and I lived with my mom but I actually spent more time with my Dad after the divorce. The key was that he made himself available. How you confirm this? I dunno.

 

[jonesy5960]

Dumb idea. Next!

 

[BioHawk]

I guess my question is what is your goal? Just to reward people who can stay in a marriage? To try and encourage more people to get married? What about someone who remarries or is widowed?

I'm not inherently against the idea, but I'm not sure what it would set out to accomplish either.

 

[Bulldogs1974]

Incentivize birth control...male and female.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

How would this ever be qualified?

Better than the COVID business handout was, hopefully.

 

[goldmom]

There’s already a deduction for married filing jointly.
I think that a large number of the population actually gets money back already after they’ve used the child tax credit.
It sounds like an attempt to have the government moralize taxation.
Nice thought but it can’t or won’t happen.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

"It's not punishing single moms or those non-dual parent households as their status will not be affected at all."

How is someone not affected by something that is not available to them? Isn't that exactly what your proposal does?

How am I affected by student loan forgiveness? It's not available to me and yet, it does not affect me.

 

[Scruddy]

I like it. I also think there should be a tax break for married couples who have 3 or more children well beyond the current dependent deduction.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

I guess my question is what is your goal? Just to reward people who can stay in a marriage? To try and encourage more people to get married? What about someone who remarries or is widowed?

I'm not inherently against the idea, but I'm not sure what it would set out to accomplish either.

Two "parent" not two "spouse". I think it's obvious kids with two parents have a better fighting chance.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

There’s already a deduction for married filing jointly.
I think that a large number of the population actually gets money back already after they’ve used the child tax credit.
It sounds like an attempt to have the government moralize taxation.
Nice thought but it can’t or won’t happen.

You don't think two parent households have been proven to give kids a better shot at a good future? Morality has zero to do with that.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

We could also create a divorce tax and a divorcee registry, complete with a listing of the full adjudication of fault. That way future potential partners would know what they're getting into based on the results of a registration query.

Why not just tattoo D on their hands?

 

[jonesy5960]

Incentivize birth control...male and female.

That was already done with Obamacare. The righties got really mad.

 

[Derekd3408]

"It's not punishing single moms or those non-dual parent households as their status will not be affected at all."

How is someone not affected by something that is not available to them? Isn't that exactly what your proposal does?

I work 60 hrs a week to support my family. Glad you support my outrage for discounted ins rates and government handouts for those that chose not to.

That being said, OPs suggestion would be abused more than PPP loans and unemployment benefits.

 

[SA_Hawk]

Yes and cutting welfare and the EBT benefits would be a great start.

 

[goldmom]

You don't think two parent households have been proven to give kids a better shot at a good future? Morality has zero to do with that.

Of COURSE I do. But you don’t think morality at some level is involved in two people getting married and then having children they raise together?

 

[thewop]

Anything we can do to encourage 2 parent households should be done...

Unless one of the parents is abusive, then they should be deleted from the household and everyone's better off tax credit be damned.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

Of COURSE I do. But you don’t think morality at some level is involved in two people getting married and then having children they raise together?

I think it's fair to say that the data pans out that having more kids raised by two parents offers up a better chance for a higher number of kids to have a fighting chance. That's all. More opportunities for him to excel and expand one's horizons.

 

[Sharky1203]

I can't help but find it funny that we are on here debating who should get tax breaks. I'll repeat that "TAX BREAKS". Yet, the rich get billions in tax breaks every year. I still think it should be a sales tax, not income. Single/married it doesn't matter, married couples can struggle just as much as a single parent. Equal tax based on what you buy should be the way, not taking from what you earn.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

That being said, OPs suggestion would be abused more than PPP loans and unemployment benefits.

It would take everything lining up to be eligible. One address. That's all either person is allowed to have and they have to match. I wouldn't think it's as easy to pull off if you do it right. Would be a pain in the ass. If you lived somewhere else, you wouldn't ever be allowed to use that address for anything. If the parents have more than one address listed, they are not eligible.

 

[FAUlty Gator]

I can't help but find it funny that we are on here debating who should get tax breaks. I'll repeat that "TAX BREAKS". Yet, the rich get billions in tax breaks every year. I still think it should be a sales tax, not income. Single/married it doesn't matter, married couples can struggle just as much as a single parent. Equal tax based on what you buy should be the way, not taking from what you earn.

This is about working on making a good future for our children.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

I guess my question is what is your goal? Just to reward people who can stay in a marriage? To try and encourage more people to get married? What about someone who remarries or is widowed?

I'm not inherently against the idea, but I'm not sure what it would set out to accomplish either.

Rewards for people who can get and stay married seem like a good idea. A lot of our social ills are pretty well associated with the rise of single parent households. Poverty, crime, mass shootings, and quite frankly more single parent households as children of single parents are more likely to have children in single parent households.

As far as widowed I would say you could create a separate tax credit for widowed with dependents that would be equal to this if not greater. But the widowed are a tiny tiny tiny fraction of single parent households. The vast majority are the divorced and the unmarried but having children.

 

[Sharky1203]

This is about working on making a good future for our children.

100%, we are really F'ing it up for them.

 

[Derekd3408]

It would take everything lining up to be eligible. One address. That's all either person is allowed to have and they have to match. I wouldn't think it's as easy to pull off if you do it right. Would be a pain in the ass. If you lived somewhere else, you wouldn't ever be allowed to use that address for anything. If the parents have more than one address listed, they are not eligible.

Good luck. Where there's a will there's a way with people scamming the government. My sister and BIL own 7 rental houses, guessing they wouldn't qualify then? How about couples that meet and move in together, but they keep both houses because you never know how long it will last? I know multiple couples in that scenario. How many more IRS agents will be needed just to audit all those deductions? Someone will have to verify every single one in your scenario and that could take days per filing.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Of COURSE I do. But you don’t think morality at some level is involved in two people getting married and then having children they raise together?

Morality often has a basis in doing things that don't cause harm to others.

Sticking around and raising your children is the morally correct thing to do because leaving causes harm to your children.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Good luck. Where there's a will there's a way with people scamming the government. My sister and BIL own 7 rental houses, guessing they wouldn't qualify then? How about couples that meet and move in together, but they keep both houses because you never know how long it will last? I know multiple couples in that scenario. How many more IRS agents will be needed just to audit all those deductions? Someone will have to verify every single one in your scenario and that could take days per filing.

On your taxes you have to pick one has to be your residence. If your sister and BIL are picking 2 homes to be their residence but really living together they are already committing tax fraud by taking advantage of the homestead exemption on property taxes.

 

[OILCHECKER]

This is about working on making a good future for our children.

Well if that is the case, then republicans would never support it

 

[FAUlty Gator]

Good luck. Where there's a will there's a way with people scamming the government. My sister and BIL own 7 rental houses, guessing they wouldn't qualify then? How about couples that meet and move in together, but they keep both houses because you never know how long it will last? I know multiple couples in that scenario. How many more IRS agents will be needed just to audit all those deductions? Someone will have to verify every single one in your scenario and that could take days per filing.

Where do checks get mailed? Do schools see both parents? Same address? Are you gonna stay married and not get divorced for the tax break? Not planning on remarrying your new girlfriend? If you want the break, you register ONE address as your home to the IRS. That's where all your shit gets sent. If you want to go through that bullshit for the incentive, you earned it.

Also, means testing this would not be a bad idea either. If you own 7 houses, you don't need the monetary incentive.