but those two things are not equal.

I pay the amount of taxes I owe. I also use the tax code to pay as little as possible. Very few pages in the tax code are for what is payable. The bulk is for exceptions as to what is payable.

My goal is to make a million dollars and pay no or very little income taxes. Not because I don't like government services, but most of the ones I like come in the form of hidden taxes we all pay. Schools, sales, gas, utilities, the list goes on and on.

If you ever want an exercies in futiilty, figure the actual amount of taxes you pay in a year, every single tax. And if you are a business owner, don't forget those taxes as well. You will likely be shocked how much you pay. And don't forget the 40% tax on your IRA that you haven't paid yet.