The Taxman Cometh...

[Grazzik]

Was wondering if anyone knows how TAXES are handled, without getting bogged down in accounting.

For example, Merc Town pg. 13 - there is an 8% sales tax for non-locals. Pretty easy to do.

But what about other taxes... like annual income or head taxes? What if people are passing through a town and get swept up in a local tax collection drive, even though they are not locals?

Are taxes levied by CS or NG/MI on accounts through their respective credit systems, i.e. x% of total balance annually?

Also, how would income-based guild fees be handled? In PFRPG, the Merchant Guild levies dues that are 10% of income. However, the guild seems to act as its own central bank. In Rifts Earth, centralized banking outside of city states is likely unheard of and bookkeeping limited to the number that shows up when a credit card is swiped, so how would guilds keep members honest... or at least paying their share?

My guess is flat rate dues and service fees depending on what the guild provides. Or perhaps psychic/magical tax collectors that sift through memories to find the last credit. Open to other ideas!

[Captain_Nibbz]

Was wondering if anyone knows how TAXES are handled, without getting bogged down in accounting.

For example, Merc Town pg. 13 - there is an 8% sales tax for non-locals. Pretty easy to do.

But what about other taxes... like annual income or head taxes? What if people are passing through a town and get swept up in a local tax collection drive, even though they are not locals?

Are taxes levied by CS or NG/MI on accounts through their respective credit systems, i.e. x% of total balance annually?

Also, how would income-based guild fees be handled? In PFRPG, the Merchant Guild levies dues that are 10% of income. However, the guild seems to act as its own central bank. In Rifts Earth, centralized banking outside of city states is likely unheard of and bookkeeping limited to the number that shows up when a credit card is swiped, so how would guilds keep members honest... or at least paying their share?

My guess is flat rate dues and service fees depending on what the guild provides. Or perhaps psychic/magical tax collectors that sift through memories to find the last credit. Open to other ideas!

In my games, I have a random encounter that can happen any time players are in town. Its with the taxman. If the taxman shows up, you have to give up 15% of any and all wealth that you have (including anything that is stored with guilds, stocks, bonds, etc).

Pisses off my players whenever it happens and I love it.

[Grazzik]

In my games, I have a random encounter that can happen any time players are in town. Its with the taxman. If the taxman shows up, you have to give up 15% of any and all wealth that you have (including anything that is stored with guilds, stocks, bonds, etc).

Pisses off my players whenever it happens and I love it.

Ooh! I could see that being painful... just got paid for a job and have a taxman walk around the corner...

[Killer Cyborg]

Was wondering if anyone knows how TAXES are handled, without getting bogged down in accounting.

For example, Merc Town pg. 13 - there is an 8% sales tax for non-locals. Pretty easy to do.

But what about other taxes... like annual income or head taxes? What if people are passing through a town and get swept up in a local tax collection drive, even though they are not locals?

Are taxes levied by CS or NG/MI on accounts through their respective credit systems, i.e. x% of total balance annually?

Also, how would income-based guild fees be handled? In PFRPG, the Merchant Guild levies dues that are 10% of income. However, the guild seems to act as its own central bank. In Rifts Earth, centralized banking outside of city states is likely unheard of and bookkeeping limited to the number that shows up when a credit card is swiped, so how would guilds keep members honest... or at least paying their share?

My guess is flat rate dues and service fees depending on what the guild provides. Or perhaps psychic/magical tax collectors that sift through memories to find the last credit. Open to other ideas!

Like 90% of listed prices are Black Market prices.
I don't think taxes are an issue.

[Grazzik]

Like 90% of listed prices are Black Market prices.
I don't think taxes are an issue.

Good point. However, the BM isn't above taxing their own (Merc Town, pg 112), which I'm sure is passed along to the customer.

That said, prices for goods from the BM can vary 2x or 3x, so sales taxes definitely become moot.

Other than sales taxes, I've looked around for examples that could fit Rifts. Modern cities are probably awash in taxes, permits/license fees, import/export duties, and a range of administrative charges which lead to smuggling, crime, and urban adventure. In the smaller communities, it may be more simple like what's in PFRPG (Book 8, pg. 19), where the Western Empire taxes income 33-50% annually... the local mutant chieftain's guards show up and take half your crops. A feudal system works for Rifts, since the average Rifts person doesn't travel and is probably very like a medieval serf or peasant.

Tolls probably also play a role and there are references in PFRPG to draw on for inspiration, in that non-guild merchants pay up to 20% of goods value to access roads and each guild town they pass through (Book 11, pg. 14-15). I could see this forcing adventurers to cache their stuff before heading into barter towns with only what they want to trade. No point in getting hung up arguing with a gate guard over whether extra e-clips are trade goods or personal gear not intended for trade.

[taalismn]

Like the practice of tax farming.....the government subcontracts revenue collection to individuals to collect a quota of revenue from a given region, or for an amount of trade/activity, and as long as the government gets its cut, the subcontractor can pocket anything extra he can pry out of the deal(as long as he's not blatantly corrupt, extorting, and costing the government face and money through being too rapacious).

Of course, given that the government AUDITORS include psychics, the tax-farmers don't get too greedy, or else they might lose their freedom/lives and the government confiscates EVERYTHING.

[Killer Cyborg]

Like 90% of listed prices are Black Market prices.
I don't think taxes are an issue.

Good point. However, the BM isn't above taxing their own (Merc Town, pg 112), which I'm sure is passed along to the customer.

That said, prices for goods from the BM can vary 2x or 3x, so sales taxes definitely become moot.

Other than sales taxes, I've looked around for examples that could fit Rifts. Modern cities are probably awash in taxes, permits/license fees, import/export duties, and a range of administrative charges which lead to smuggling, crime, and urban adventure. In the smaller communities, it may be more simple like what's in PFRPG (Book 8, pg. 19), where the Western Empire taxes income 33-50% annually... the local mutant chieftain's guards show up and take half your crops. A feudal system works for Rifts, since the average Rifts person doesn't travel and is probably very like a medieval serf or peasant.

Tolls probably also play a role and there are references in PFRPG to draw on for inspiration, in that non-guild merchants pay up to 20% of goods value to access roads and each guild town they pass through (Book 11, pg. 14-15). I could see this forcing adventurers to cache their stuff before heading into barter towns with only what they want to trade. No point in getting hung up arguing with a gate guard over whether extra e-clips are trade goods or personal gear not intended for trade.

Really, I'd just assume that tax is included in all legit sales.
So it would only matter if the players wanted to sell something in the open, legal market, and only then because they'd have to pay tax.
At least, in a tech society that's how I'd handle it.

Low Tech societies... well, the tax collection might look more like what Robin Hood was fighting against than about what we deal with today.