💸 TAXES ARE LITERALLY STEALING YOUR RIZZ RN 😭

💸 TAXES ARE LITERALLY STEALING YOUR RIZZ RN 😭

Okay besties, gather round. We need to have a serious conversation. And I know, I KNOW you’re probably scrolling past this because “taxes” sounds like the most boring thing your grandpa yaps about at Thanksgiving, but HEAR ME OUT. ✋

Taxes are literally the main character of your paycheck right now, and they are NOT giving. 🚫 They are the villain arc of your bank account. You work hard. You grind. You post that TikTok at 3 AM even though you have a 9-5. You hustle. And then what happens? The government slides into your direct deposit like an ex you blocked but they made a fake account. “Hey bestie, can I have 30% of that? Thanks queen.” 💀

Let me break this down for you in Gen-Z terms because the IRS does NOT want you to understand this.

You ever buy a coffee? Like a fancy iced lavender oat milk latte with extra foam? That coffee? You already paid tax on it. That $7 drink? Yeah, $0.50 of that is literally just vibes the government takes. And then you go to work? They take MORE money. Then you buy a house? They take money. Then you DIE? They take money. Taxes are the ultimate pay-to-play subscription service you never signed up for. And there is NO cancel button. 😤

But here’s the slay. The REAL slay. The tea that no one is spilling is that most of you are OVERPAYING. You’re giving away your hard-earned coins for FREE. You’re literally donating to the government like a charity you don’t even like. And that’s not cute. That’s not giving. That’s giving cringe.

You know those rich people? The ones with the private jets and the “I’m just a girl” aesthetic but they actually own 4 companies? They don’t pay taxes. They LAUGH at taxes. They look at the IRS and go “nah, I’m good.” While you’re out here stressing about whether you can afford Chipotle. That’s not fair. That’s giving 2016 energy.

But the truth is, the system is rigged for people who know the tricks. And the tricks aren’t illegal. They’re just … smart. Like, you can literally write off your internet bill if you work from home. You can write off your phone. You can write off that “business trip” to the beach if you post one TikTok about “productivity.” Capitalists hate this one weird trick.

The real issue is that taxes are confusing. They’re designed to be confusing. If taxes were easy, everyone would be rich. But the government wants you to be scared. They want you to just file the basic form and hope for the best. They want you to accept the default. And the default is you paying MORE than you have to.

So here’s the real talk: You need to stop being a victim of the tax system and start being the main character. You need to learn the vocabulary. “Deductions.” “Credits.” “Write-offs.” “Capital gains.” These aren’t just big words your finance bro cousin throws around at family dinners. These are keys to keeping YOUR money.

That side hustle you have? Selling thrifted clothes on Depop? That’s a business. You can write off the gas you used to go to the thrift store. You can write off the bags you buy to ship the items. You can write off the portion of your rent you use to store the clothes. The government literally wants you to be a business owner. They give you tax breaks for that. But if you don’t claim it, they take your money anyway.

It’s giving “you didn’t claim your free money” energy.

And don’t even get me started on student loans. You know there’s a tax credit for paying interest on student loans? You know that? Most of you don’t. You just pay and cry. Meanwhile, the government is like “oh you wanted that $2,500 deduction? Should’ve asked bestie.”

So what do you do? You don’t just accept the L. You flip the script.

First, stop using those free tax apps that sell your data. They’re not your friends. They’re giving “I’ll help you for free but actually I’m making millions off your information.” Use a real professional or a reputable service that doesn’t treat you like a product.

Second, track EVERYTHING. Every receipt. Every coffee you bought because you “had a meeting” (even if it was just you and your cat). Every mile you drove. Every subscription you pay for work. You think that Canva subscription is just for fun? Write it off. That Spotify playlist you listen to while you “work”? Write it off. (Okay maybe not that one but you get the vibe.)

Third, invest. I know, I know, investing sounds scary. But capital gains tax is LOWER than income tax. That means the money you make from stocks or crypto? The government takes LESS of it than the money you make from your actual job. That’s insane. The system literally rewards people for not working. So if you’re not investing, you’re leaving free money on the table.

And fourth? Vote. I’m not saying which way. I’m just saying the people who write tax laws are elected officials. If you don’t like how they’re taking your money, vote for people who won’t. Or better yet, learn the loopholes they don’t want you to know.

Because here’s the thing: taxes are not a moral issue. They’re a math problem. And you can either be the one solving the math, or you can be the one paying the price.

And right now? Too many of you are paying the price. You’re out here doing the most, working the hardest, and still feeling broke. Meanwhile, the tax code is 70,000 pages long.

Final Thoughts

After decades of watching policymakers fumble with the tax code, it’s clear that the debate isn’t really about rates or brackets—it’s about who we believe should shoulder the cost of a functioning society. The article rightly peels back the technocratic jargon to reveal the raw truth: every tax break is a quiet subsidy for some, and every levy is a silent burden on others. What we need, ultimately, isn’t a simpler formula, but a harder national conversation about fairness versus efficiency, and whether we have the collective will to pay for the world we claim to want.