No surprise here....

Homeslice · 03-28-2011, 03:21 PM

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The typical American tax cheat is male, single and under the age of 45.

At least that's what an annual survey by DDB Worldwide Communications Group found.

Email Print "The overall characteristics of this particular minority group are surprising -- and in some cases, a little unsettling," DDB concluded.

While only 15% of Americans surveyed fessed up to fudging their tax returns, 64% of those people were men, according to the survey of consumer attitudes and behavior. Thirty-five percent were single (47% when including people who have been divorced or widowed), and 55% were under the age of 45.

These percentages were all significantly higher for the self-proclaimed cheaters than for the non-cheaters, indicating that Americans who cheat on their taxes are much more likely to fall into these three categories than those who don't, the survey found.

Many cheaters also try to justify their behavior. Far more tax cheats said they are 'overall better people' and that they are 'special and deserve to be treated that way', compared to the people who said they don't cheat.

And it's not just taxes that they are dishonest about.

"Their willingness to cheat is not limited to their taxes but spans a wide range of situations and behavior where they are looking to get away with something," said James Lou, U.S. chief strategist at DDB.

While 73% of cheaters admitted to working a job under the table, only 20% of non-cheaters did. Self-proclaimed cheaters are also much more likely to keep the wrong change given to them by a cashier, to ask a friend to pretend to be a former boss for a reference check and to lie about their income to qualify for government aid.

Many of them also said they would wear an outfit once and return it, file false insurance claims, keep money they see someone drop on the floor, or lie about finding something inappropriate in their food just to get a free meal.

Papa_Complex · 03-31-2011, 08:39 AM

Yup. Sociopaths.

goof2 · 03-31-2011, 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeslice

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The typical American tax cheat is male, single and under the age of 45.

They clarify in the article, but they should make it clear here as well that the typical American who is dumb enough to freely admit in a useless survey that they cheat on their taxes is male, single, and under the age of 45. As for who "the typical American tax cheat" is, nothing in the article even attempts to establish that.

Particle Man · 03-31-2011, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goof2

They clarify in the article, but they should make it clear here as well that the typical American who is dumb enough to freely admit in a useless survey that they cheat on their taxes is male, single, and under the age of 45. As for who "the typical American tax cheat" is, nothing in the article even attempts to establish that.

They should further clarify what the distribution of age/sex is of EVERY tax payer - I'm willing to bet that there are just more "male, single, under 45" folks who are in a taxable income bracket... which makes this headline pretty much meaningless when the overall sample would turn out that way regardless.

pauldun170 · 03-31-2011, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goof2

They clarify in the article, but they should make it clear here as well that the typical American who is dumb enough to freely admit in a useless survey that they cheat on their taxes is male, single, and under the age of 45. As for who "the typical American tax cheat" is, nothing in the article even attempts to establish that.

Couldn't they just get the data from the IRS?
I'm sure they take down SEX\AGE when they perform an audit.

fatbuckRTO · 03-31-2011, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pauldun170

Couldn't they just get the data from the IRS?
I'm sure they take down SEX\AGE when they perform an audit.

I suppose they could, but I'm pretty sure they didn't...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeslice

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The typical American tax cheat is male, single and under the age of 45.

At least that's what an annual survey by DDB Worldwide Communications Group found.

...

While only 15% of Americans surveyed fessed up to fudging their tax returns, 64% of those people were men, according to the survey of consumer attitudes and behavior...

Homeslice · 03-31-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pauldun170

Couldn't they just get the data from the IRS?
I'm sure they take down SEX\AGE when they perform an audit.

Is the IRS obligated to make that data public?

goof2 · 03-31-2011, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pauldun170

Couldn't they just get the data from the IRS?
I'm sure they take down SEX\AGE when they perform an audit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Homeslice

Is the IRS obligated to make that data public?

I've never looked but audit statistics are probably available. That would be misleading too though as that would only indicate people who get caught rather than everyone who is cheating.

pauldun170 · 03-31-2011, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fatbuckRTO

I suppose they could, but I'm pretty sure they didn't...

My poorly made point is that if you really wanted to find out the data should be available.

....that and I skimmed the article and missed the whole stupid survey thing.
assholefucktard

fatbuckRTO · 03-31-2011, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pauldun170

....that and I skimmed the article and missed the whole stupid survey thing.
assholefucktard

Ahem...

It's actually assholefuckRTO. Don't sweat it, the acronym gets everybody...

03-28-2011, 03:21 PM	#1
Homeslice Elitist Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: SF Bay Area Moto: Gix 750 Posts: 11,351	No surprise here.... NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The typical American tax cheat is male, single and under the age of 45. At least that's what an annual survey by DDB Worldwide Communications Group found. Email Print "The overall characteristics of this particular minority group are surprising -- and in some cases, a little unsettling," DDB concluded. While only 15% of Americans surveyed fessed up to fudging their tax returns, 64% of those people were men, according to the survey of consumer attitudes and behavior. Thirty-five percent were single (47% when including people who have been divorced or widowed), and 55% were under the age of 45. These percentages were all significantly higher for the self-proclaimed cheaters than for the non-cheaters, indicating that Americans who cheat on their taxes are much more likely to fall into these three categories than those who don't, the survey found. Many cheaters also try to justify their behavior. Far more tax cheats said they are 'overall better people' and that they are 'special and deserve to be treated that way', compared to the people who said they don't cheat. And it's not just taxes that they are dishonest about. "Their willingness to cheat is not limited to their taxes but spans a wide range of situations and behavior where they are looking to get away with something," said James Lou, U.S. chief strategist at DDB. While 73% of cheaters admitted to working a job under the table, only 20% of non-cheaters did. Self-proclaimed cheaters are also much more likely to keep the wrong change given to them by a cashier, to ask a friend to pretend to be a former boss for a reference check and to lie about their income to qualify for government aid. Many of them also said they would wear an outfit once and return it, file false insurance claims, keep money they see someone drop on the floor, or lie about finding something inappropriate in their food just to get a free meal.

03-31-2011, 08:39 AM	#2
Papa_Complex Nomadic Tribesman Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Brampton, Canada Moto: '09 ER-6n Posts: 11,150	Yup. Sociopaths. __________________ "Everything's better with pirates." - Lodge, "Dorkness Rising" http://www.morallyambiguous.net/