Chapter 5189

Users like Hannah could directly apply for cash withdrawals from the platform for their income from live streaming, but the money was not pre-taxed. Anchors needed to declare their taxes themselves. Hannah, however, had never filed a tax return. She was reluctant to part with a substantial portion of her earnings. Now that the tax department had arrived, she panicked. She quickly lied, "Officer, you've seen the condition of my family. We have two paralyzed patients who require constant care, and there's also an elderly woman who needs to be looked after. I was really busy, so I didn't have the chance to take care of my taxes." As she spoke, she suddenly had an epiphany and quickly tried to improvise, "Besides, my livestreaming career has only spanned a month or so. I planned to file my tax returns as soon as I got some free time." The tax department's staff knew that Hannah was likely lying, but they couldn't prove it. She had only started live streaming a little over a month ago. If she claimed that she had forgotten or was too busy to pay taxes, the department would have had no way to prove that she was intentionally evading them. Thus, the tax officer decided to let her off the hook. "We understand your situation, and we acknowledge that there are some objective factors at play. We won't investigate whether you've been evading taxes. You only need to file your tax returns as soon as possible based on your actual income." Hannah asked the tax officer, "What's the tax rate for individual tax?" The officer replied, "Your income from livestreaming is considered labor service remuneration. Labor service remuneration falls under the category of comprehensive income, and the tax rate ranges from 3% to 45%. Since your income has reached the highest level, you're subject to the highest rate, which is 45%."

Hannah was shocked. "What? 45%? That's way too much!" she exclaimed. The tax officer spoke seriously, "As citizens, paying personal income tax is our duty. The tax rate in our country is not the highest in the world. In Japan, it's above 50%, and in the United States, it's also 45%." Hannah felt like she was in a nightmare, but she knew she needed to face reality. She thought to herself, "Now that my income has been exposed, paying taxes is unavoidable. Those celebrities who evade taxes never end well. I need to be responsible and pay my fair share." "Besides," she continued to think, "I've only been earning money for a short time. I can claim that I forgot to pay taxes or that I was too busy to pay them. I need to come up with an excuse for myself; otherwise, I'll end up paying more in taxes and fines in the long run!" Hannah was on the verge of a breakdown, but she managed to compose herself and promised to pay the taxes. She knew that even if she lost all her income, she still had a few million in her bank account, which was enough to support herself. As she sighed with relief, the police officer spoke up, his voice cold and hard. "I have to tell you something, and you better listen carefully. You should be thanking Elaine right now. Exposing you was the best thing she could have done for you. Today, she saved you from making an even bigger mistake."