Civic Duties: Responsibility for ALL Americans

I am dumbfounded that our education system completely ignores the most basic necessities and requirements for life -- death and taxes.

Yes....death and taxes.  The ONLY two predictable things in life....we ignore....and do not teach our children how to deal with....Why?

This topic is too broad for one mid-morning-coffee-break rant, so I will break it down to taxes.  Each and every citizen will be required to file taxes.  I'm astonished at how many people do not know how to do this basic task despite the fact that it is required once per year and will impact all races, education levels, income levels, religions, creeds, sub-species, etc.  Knowing the basics on taxes is essential and WAY more important than learning advanced algebraic functions that have limited practical use upon stepping out of the classroom. 

Another essential fact of life that we tend to ignore is that we will all be an employee or an employer, unless you have the rare fortune of being a "trust fund brat" who was set up financially by a family member or the like.  Anyway, I'm getting off track.  You will either be an employee or an employer. 

If you are an employee, do you know where to find the Cal-OSHA legally required postings?  Do you know basic wage and hour laws?  Do you know what FICA is on your paycheck withholding and where that money goes?   Do you know what SDI stands for on your paycheck stub?  Do you know if you're doing exempt or non-exempt work? 

If you're an employer, do you know who gets a 1099 form at the end of the year and who gets a W-2?  Do you know who is handling your books is honest?  You'd be surprised at the number of business owners who deal with fraud and embezzlement because doing such tedious, boring work was beneath them.  Suckers.  Do you know how to hire and fire legally? 
Do you know which expenses are legitimate tax deductions and which ones are not?  You are all winging it.  I see you doing it daily. 

Branching out from being able to do THE most practical function of filing taxes, is the ability to shop insurance.  We are now required by LAW to have health insurance.  What do you know about purchasing health insurance?  Probably not much as this has "been taken care of" for you (at least in part) by your employer and/or parents.  Wake up, people.  Employer sponsored health insurance is about to end.  You will soon be on your own if you're not already left to navigate the confusing, misleading traps insurance companies have left for you to bumble through.  The goal of ALL insurance companies is to collect your money in premiums and not pay out. 

I have more, but I must get back to work.  The most important education we all need for everyday of our lives is not addressed.  I don't get it.