Suggested transaction tax system

[Derek Atkins]

Al Snell <alaric@alaric-snell.com> writes:

> 1) Splits have a "tax code" field, which is represented as a dropdown
> selected from a list of tax codes (editable by the user - more on that
> later).
> 
> 2) The engine calculates a total tax amount for each tax code (which may
> be negative), and for each tax code with nonzero total tax in that
> transaction, creates a split (marked as read only) transferring the
> appropriate amount from an account associated with that tax code (eg,
> "Sales Tax", "Bribes").

What about places where you have multiple taxes (taxes on taxes,
e.g. the Canadian GST), hidden taxes (e.g. US Gasoline), or split
taxes (income tax split across multiple US States)?

While I like the idea, I think this particular approach is just a can
of worms.  Unfortunately I don't have a better idea, except perhaps
allowing the user to enter the amount of tax by hand.  I can look on
my sales receipt and see how much tax I paid when I go to the store.
I don't know, for example, how much tax I paid when I pay at the pump.

-derek
-- 
       Derek Atkins, SB '93 MIT EE, SM '95 MIT Media Laboratory
       Member, MIT Student Information Processing Board  (SIPB)
       URL: http://web.mit.edu/warlord/    PP-ASEL-IA     N1NWH
       warlord@MIT.EDU                        PGP key available