# On the subject of Wealth and Luck. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 20, 2000, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254 "2000-07-20T16:20:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/21 "2000-07-21T17:20:46Z")
Well, my friend, I wish you the best in your future personal financial growth. Without going into your personal financial history, I submit that if and when you do begin to acquire some substantial assets (be it cash, property, stock, whatever…) you too will begin to feel the need to, ummmm, protect your hard earned wealth by more creative means. Never say never. Plenty of people never get the _opportunity_ to cheat on their taxes. That does not mean that they would not given a reasonable and plausable opportunity. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/22 "2000-07-21T17:26:46Z")
Oh. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/23 "2000-07-21T17:42:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kimstu \* > Oh. Damn. What the hell does that mean?! You’re not calling the IRS annonymous tips line on me are you? Cuz I’d never ever ever ever cheat on my tax return. Not in a million years!.. I don’t even fill out a tax return!.. D’OH! ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/24 "2000-07-21T17:55:50Z")
> [@](#): > > You’re not calling the IRS annonymous tips line on me are you? For Pete’s sake, **QS**! Even if I knew who you were, and even if I didn’t feel honor-bound to respect the privacy of anonymous participants in an open debate forum, I have a little deal with the IRS: they let me get on with writing XSL code, and I let them get on with apprehending tax evaders. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/25 "2000-07-21T18:00:44Z")
Oh, well in that case, let me introduce you to the concept of funneling pre-tax funds to off-shore holding company accounts… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/26 "2000-07-21T18:11:22Z")
Thanks anyway! So that’s really what it takes to get rich, huh?..🙂 ---
**Author:** ![PeeQueue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8797f3/32.png) [@PeeQueue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PeeQueue)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/27 "2000-07-21T18:12:10Z")
I don’t cheat on my taxes and don’t intend to anytime soon. I think it’s a shame that this has become acceptable practice. I don’t agree with a lot of the tax laws, but I would prefer the taxes get lowered legally - maybe they would if all the cheaters stopped cheating (and thus the gov’t got more revenue from taxes). I also don’t want to have anything hanging over my head - if I get audited I wouldn’t mind. An I have plenty of opportunity to and have plenty to gain by doing so. Now back to our regularly scheduled program… PeeQueue ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/28 "2000-07-21T18:17:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kimstu \* > Thanks anyway! So that’s really what it takes to get rich, huh?..🙂 …and you thought it was all luck!.. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Zambezi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Mr.Zambezi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Zambezi)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/29 "2000-07-21T18:19:26Z")
> [@](#): > > My own study of the Fortune 500 industrial corporations showed that during the period 1975-1984, 62 percent were involved in one or more incidents of corrupt behavior such as price fixing, bribery, violation of environmental regulations and tax fraud IT is very, very easy to violate tax laws or environmental laws without being crooked. We are dealing with a very fuzzy rule on capitalization of material repairs right now. No one can figure it out. we could get nailed if we go the wrong way, but none of the folks working on this are crooked. ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/30 "2000-07-21T18:22:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by PeeQueue \* > I think it’s a shame that this has become acceptable practice. I don’t agree with a lot of the tax laws, but I would prefer the taxes get lowered legally - maybe they would if all the cheaters stopped cheating (and thus the gov’t got more revenue from taxes). …or it may be argued that if the taxes were structured more fairly then less people would be tempted to cheat and thus the gov’t would raise more revenue. By the way, you don’t actually believe that the gov’t would ever voluntarily elect to lower taxes, do you? It’s their only source of income. How many civil servants do you know that would volunteer to take a pay cut or vote themselves out of work? I don’t even know any private individuals who would elect to go that route… ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/31 "2000-07-21T18:29:51Z")
**Mr. Z.:** \*…none of the folks working on this are crooked. \* There, **QS**! John Borgwardt and I are vindicated. ---
**Author:** ![tradesilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tradesilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tradesilicon)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/32 "2000-07-21T18:36:17Z")
Kimstu, > [@](#): > > Thanks anyway! So that’s really what it takes to get rich, huh?.. No, what it takes is, in your case, good XSL code. If that is anywhere near as good as your poetry, you should be a millionaire already! And therefore you should be acquainted with offshore accounts by now… QuickSilver, > [@](#): > > Sili - > > Almost forgot… Check your Yahoo mail. Did that yesterday. Replied. Tag, You’re it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/33 "2000-07-21T18:41:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tradesilicon \* > > Did that yesterday. Replied. Tag, You’re it. 🙂 Hmmm… 😕… Nope. Nada in my in box. Maybe try again?.. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2000, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254/34 "2000-07-21T18:48:14Z")
Aw, **Sili**! _blush_ Thank you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/on-the-subject-of-wealth-and-luck/26254.md?page=1)