第11部分(第4/8 頁)

re　show　of　hard…working　people　has　a　set　pattern。　Recently　married；　the　happy；　highly　educated　young　couple　move　in　together；　in　one　of　their　cramped　rented　apartments。 Immediately；　they　realize　that　they　are　saving　money　because　two　can　live　as　cheaply　as

one。

The　problem　is；　the　apartment　is　cramped。 They　decide　to　save　money　to　buy　their　dream　home　so　they　can　have　kids。　They　now　have　two　ines；　and　they　begin　to　focus　on　their　careers。

Their　ines　begin　to　increase。

As　their　ines　go　up。。。their　expenses　go　up　as　well。

The　No。　1　expense　for　most　people　is　taxes。　Many　people　think　it's　ine　tax；　but　for　most　Americans　their　highest　tax　is　Social　Security。　As　an　employee；　it　appears　as　if　the　Social　Security　tax　bined　with　the　Medicare　tax　rate　is　roughly　7。5　percent；　but　it's　really　15　percent　since　the　employer　must　match　the　Social　Security　amount。　In　essence；　it　is　money　the　employer　cannot　pay　you。 On　top　of　that；　you　still　have　to　pay　ine　tax　on　the　amount　deducted　from　your　wages　for　Social　Security　tax；　ine　you　never　receive　because　it　went　directly　to　Social　Security　through　withholding。 Then；　their　liabilities　go　up。

This　is　best　demonstrated　by　going　back　to　the　young　couple。　As　a　result　of　their　ines　going　up；　they　decide　to　go　out　and　buy　the　house　of　their　dreams。 Once　in　their　house；　they　have　a　new　tax；　called　property　tax。　Then；　they　buy　a　new　car；　new　furniture　and　new　appliances　to　match　＇heir　new　house。　Ail　of　a