Being the son of a man who owned his own business for 30 years, I know that there are taxes you don't even know exists when you run a business. By the time state, local, and federal are added up, it is over half of your profits. That is bullshit.
We spent so much time just paying taxes. We have to send in payroll taxes every two weeks, there is a large form to fill out.
We have to pay monthly taxes to several different places, each with it's own form and different place.
When I went to law school, I quit working for my dad. My dads partner decided to fire the CPA I had hired to help with all of this. He could do it himself, he said.
Well, he fucked up and after about 2 years we ended up owing the IRS about $80k. You'd think you could just send in a check and all would be well. Nope.
The IRS gave us two options. Close the shop and pay the $80k, or if you want to keep the doors open, it was close to $400k.
My dad and his partner were both getting old, they decided to close the shop.
The IRS, in a down economy, forced the closure of a successful business, which caused nearly 20 people to lose good paying jobs. Our lowest paid employee was $12/hr I think, and we had a guy that got over $30/hr.
That's our government at work.