#Forensic Audit

[grrlscientist]

America needs an official forensic audit into the US presidential election to save its democracy

[jangillman]

[anonymiss-puzzler]

All the letters they have received and yet….. 🦗 🦗

[corpbizlegal]

Understanding the factors that can initiate a tax audit is crucial for businesses aiming to maintain compliance and avoid unnecessary scrutiny. While tax authorities often conduct audits at random, specific red flags in a company’s financial and operational records can draw attention. Being aware of these indicators not only helps in refining financial practices but also serves to improve overall compliance, from secretarial to ethical audits. Let’s explore these common red flags and how businesses can address them.

[pollys01]

Learn when to conduct a forensic audit of an HOA and enhance financial transparency within your community. This blog delves into critical aspects such as signs of financial irregularities, the audit process, and legal implications. For more comprehensive information, visit this detailed blog, When to Conduct a Forensic Audit of an HOA. Perfect for HOA boards and property managers, this guide ensures accountable and transparent financial practices.

[wordofthewolf]

Forensic Audit - A The West Wing Story

The White House was bustling with activity as usual. It was January, a time for renewal as people were excited to be back in action after the holidays. President Matt Santos had his plate full with all of the initiatives he wanted to enact and that meant that Josh Lyman was also very busy. Thus it was up to Josh’s Deputy Chief of Staff Sam Seaborn to substitute for him and attend a briefing with…

[togglenowsapservices]

SAP Audit Services | SAP Authorization and Security Audit Services - ToggleNow

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Our dynamic service model helps streamline your internal auditing by simplifying routine processes and ensuring that timely audit reports are generated and maintained as per the guidelines.

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Read More: https://togglenow.com/services/sap-audit-services

[pratchettquotes]

Hour after hour, it went on, with a patience that at first terrified and then bored. It was the warfare of clerks, and it harried the enemy through many columns and files. Moist could read words that weren't there, but the clerks found the numbers that weren't there, or were there twice, or were there but going the wrong way. They didn't hurry. Peel away the lies, and the truth would emerge, naked and ashamed and with nowhere else to hide.

Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

[chloeworships]

Remember this was now God showed me Kamala winning. 🥇

I was also shown this 👇🏾 The weapons are similar ⚔️ 🩸The rainbow is God’s symbol to us of his promises 🌈 That’s how he speaks to me at least. God keeps his promises and his oaths 🎗️🩵🩸

Recall I was shown an Angel of Destruction with black wings descending upon us.

I have more to share.

Take care.

PS. I am 99.9% sure Trump is going to be assassinated. I haven’t seen a US President assassinated in my lifetime just like I never thought I’d witness a plague that would kill millions and disrupt the world economy. Still, in the meantime an investigation should begin so this level of corruption and hacking never happens again. Americans are in danger now and I pray for peace, but there can’t be peace without justice ⚖️

Needed to share the cover of this song because oh my gosh the lyrics!!!! This is a song I’ve never heard before

[jvbconsultant]

The scope of forensic audit – what does it cover?

Frauds are a dark reality in the corporate world. The oversight, negligence or maligned intention – anything can be the reason behind a financial fraud. To ascertain the real cause and to pinpoint the culprit, and to make the wrongdoer accountable, the investigators take help of the forensic audit firms in Mumbai. These audit firms carry a detailed investigation on the documents available and provide all important evidences that a court requires for any such case. Let’s take a look at the main deliverables of a forensic audit.

Fraud identification: The very first thing for which the forensic audit firms in Mumbai are required is the fraud identification. The audit firms pass all the documents under a magnifying glass and in the backdrop of compliances to ascertain any glitches. By pinpointing the errors and anomalies, the forensic auditor establishes the kind of fraud and impact it has caused. This is needed to decide the punishment for the fraud.

Fraud period: To find the people responsible, it is important to find the period in which fraud has taken place. The forensic audit firms in Mumbai go through tax returns, contracts of long-term nature, credit/debit notes and other financial documents to find the period of discrepancies.

Ascertaining concealment: By investing all documents, the forensic auditors dig out the way the fraud went unnoticed. When the unnoticed fraud takes a gigantic form and affects the stakeholders, the job of the forensic audit firms in Mumbai is to go back to records and uncover the mistake or intended error.

Deciding the perpetrators: The ownership is quite clear when it comes to financial records. Companies make various people in charge of financial processes and take their signatures which affirm their responsibility. Based on change management procedures and ownership-ascertaining documents, the forensic auditors finally name the people responsible for the fraud. It helps victims file a case against the wrongdoers.

Quantifying the loss: The court demands the companies to come up with loss figures. The companies go through forensic auditing where the auditors highlight the mistake and factor them to find out the quantum of fraud. It is useful in deciding the prison term or the kind of punishment applicable to the case.

Evidence collection: To make the case stronger against the defaulting company or individual, the forensic auditors do the job of evidence collection. The receipts, bills, credit notes, financial statements, profit and loss accounts, inventory records, etc. serve as the evidences. Also, the auditors may record the statement of the fraudulent individuals to provide evidence to the court.

Thus, forensic audit is a serious job. It is carried out to figure out the fraud, if any, has happened when any complaint against the company or an individual reaches the concerned tribunals.

[skmcglobal]

Expert Forensic Audit Services by SKMC Global

At SKMC Global, we provide comprehensive forensic audit services tailored to your needs. Our experienced forensic auditors and advisors ensure thorough investigations and accurate reporting, helping you navigate complex financial situations with confidence. Partner with our forensic audit firm for reliable insights and expert guidance. Contact us today to learn more about how we can assist you.

[minnaah]

The Role of Accounting Firms in Abu Dhabi in Supporting Startups and SMEs

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, has become a vibrant hub for startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). With its strategic location, supportive government policies, and growing investment landscape, the city offers numerous opportunities for new businesses. However, navigating the complexities of finance, compliance, and taxation can be daunting for entrepreneurs. This is where Accounting firms in Abu Dhabi play a crucial role. Let’s explore how these firms support startups and SMEs in their journey to success.

1. Providing Financial Guidance

One of the primary roles of accounting firms is to provide financial guidance to startups and SMEs. These firms help entrepreneurs understand their financial health by offering insights into cash flow management, budgeting, and financial forecasting. With accurate financial data, businesses can make informed decisions and plan for future growth.

2. Tax Compliance and Planning

Navigating tax regulations in the UAE can be complex, especially for new businesses. Accounting firms in Abu Dhabi assist startups and SMEs with tax compliance, ensuring they meet all local regulations. They also provide strategic tax planning advice, helping businesses minimize their tax liabilities while remaining compliant with the law. This is particularly important with the introduction of VAT and other tax measures in the UAE.

3. Bookkeeping Services

Maintaining accurate financial records is vital for any business, but startups and SMEs often lack the resources to manage this effectively. Accounting firms offer comprehensive bookkeeping services, which allow business owners to focus on their core operations. Regular bookkeeping helps in tracking expenses, managing invoices, and preparing for audits.

4. Assisting with Business Setup

For startups, the process of setting up a business can be overwhelming. Accounting firms provide valuable assistance in this area, guiding entrepreneurs through the legal and financial requirements of establishing a company in Abu Dhabi. This includes obtaining the necessary licenses, understanding local regulations, and setting up accounting systems.

5. Financial Audits and Reviews

Regular financial audits are essential for businesses seeking investment or loans. Accounting firms conduct audits to ensure the financial statements are accurate and comply with regulations. For startups looking to attract investors, a clean audit can significantly enhance credibility and increase the chances of securing funding.

6. Advisory Services for Growth

As startups and SMEs grow, they face new challenges and opportunities. Accounting firms in Abu Dhabi provide advisory services that help businesses strategize for growth. This includes mergers and acquisitions, market entry strategies, and financial restructuring. Their expertise can be invaluable in navigating these complex decisions.

7. Facilitating Access to Funding

Access to capital is often a challenge for startups and SMEs. Accounting firms can assist in preparing financial projections and business plans that are crucial for securing funding from banks, venture capitalists, or angel investors. Their expertise in financial modeling can make a significant difference in how potential investors perceive a business.

8. Supporting Technology Integration

The rise of financial technology (fintech) has transformed the accounting landscape. Accounting firms in Abu Dhabi are increasingly incorporating technology into their services, helping startups and SMEs implement accounting software and automated solutions. This not only improves efficiency but also enhances the accuracy of financial reporting.

9. Networking and Connections

Many accounting firms have extensive networks that can benefit startups and SMEs. They can connect businesses with other professionals, potential clients, and investors, fostering valuable relationships that can drive growth. These connections are particularly beneficial in a city like Abu Dhabi, where networking can lead to new opportunities.

Conclusion

In a rapidly evolving business environment, the support of accounting firms in Abu Dhabi is invaluable for startups and SMEs. From financial guidance and tax compliance to business setup and growth strategies, these firms play a multifaceted role in helping businesses thrive. By leveraging their expertise, entrepreneurs can focus on what they do best — innovating and growing their businesses — while leaving the complexities of finance and compliance to the professionals. As Abu Dhabi continues to grow as a business hub, the partnership between startups, SMEs, and accounting firms will be essential for sustainable success.

[masarca]

The Role of Forensic Auditing Services in Fraud Prevention

Introduction

In today’s complex business environment, fraud prevention has become a critical concern for organizations across the globe. With the rising cases of financial misconduct, the role of forensic auditing services has gained significant importance. These specialized services help identify and investigate fraud and play a crucial role in preventing it. In the UAE, particularly in cities like Dubai, the demand for forensic auditors and forensic audit services has sharply increased, reflecting the need for robust financial oversight.

What is Forensic Auditing?

Forensic auditing is a specialized field that involves the examination of an organization’s financial records to detect and investigate any fraudulent activities. Unlike traditional auditing, which primarily focuses on ensuring that financial statements are accurate and comply with accounting standards, forensic auditing delves deeper into the financial data to uncover any irregularities that may indicate fraud.

Forensic auditors are trained to identify suspicious transactions, analyze financial patterns, and provide detailed reports that can be used in legal proceedings. This makes forensic auditing a powerful tool in the fight against financial crime.

The Role of Forensic Auditors in Fraud Prevention

Forensic auditors play a pivotal role in fraud prevention by adopting both proactive and reactive approaches. Proactively, they help organizations identify vulnerabilities in their financial systems and implement controls to mitigate risks. Reactively, they conduct thorough investigations when fraud is suspected, providing critical evidence that can lead to legal action against the perpetrators.

By continuously monitoring compliance with regulations and internal policies, forensic auditors ensure that any potential issues are identified and addressed before they escalate into full-blown fraud cases.

Common Types of Fraud in Organizations

Fraud can take many forms, and forensic auditors must be well-versed in identifying the most common types. These include:

Financial Statement Fraud: Manipulating financial statements to present a misleading picture of the company’s financial health.

Asset Misappropriation: Theft or misuse of an organization’s assets, such as cash, inventory, or intellectual property.

Corruption and Bribery: Engaging in unethical practices, such as offering or accepting bribes, to influence business decisions.

Understanding these different types of fraud is essential for forensic auditors to develop effective strategies for prevention and detection.

How Forensic Audit Firms in UAE Operate

The regulatory environment in the UAE is stringent, with a strong emphasis on transparency and accountability. Forensic audit firms in UAE operate within this framework, offering specialized services tailored to the unique needs of businesses in the region.

These firms work closely with organizations to integrate forensic auditing into their corporate governance structures, ensuring that financial oversight is robust and effective. By leveraging their expertise, forensic audit firms in UAE help businesses navigate the complexities of local regulations while safeguarding against fraud.

Importance of Forensic Auditors in Dubai

Dubai’s rapid economic growth has made it a hub for international business, but it has also increased the risk of financial crime. The demand for forensic auditors in Dubai has risen as companies seek to protect their assets and reputation in a competitive market.

Forensic auditors in Dubai face unique challenges, such as dealing with cross-border transactions and diverse regulatory environments. However, these challenges also present opportunities for auditors to develop innovative solutions that enhance fraud prevention.

Tools and Techniques Used in Forensic Auditing

Forensic auditors rely on a variety of tools and techniques to detect and investigate fraud. Some of the most commonly used methods include:

Data Analysis and Digital Forensics: Analyzing large volumes of financial data to identify anomalies and patterns indicative of fraud.

Interviewing and Interrogation Techniques: Conducting interviews with key personnel to gather information and uncover inconsistencies in their statements.

Document Examination and Review: Scrutinizing financial documents for signs of tampering or misrepresentation.

These tools and techniques enable forensic auditors to conduct thorough investigations and provide actionable insights to their clients.

Collaboration with Legal Professionals

Forensic auditors often collaborate with legal professionals to ensure that their findings can be effectively used in court. This collaboration involves preparing detailed reports, presenting evidence, and providing expert testimony during legal proceedings.

By working closely with lawyers, forensic auditors help build strong cases against fraudsters, increasing the likelihood of successful prosecution.

Forensic Audit Services in UAE: A Growing Industry

The demand for forensic audit services in UAE has been on the rise, driven by the need for greater financial transparency and accountability. Key players in the industry are continually expanding their service offerings to meet the evolving needs of businesses in the region.

As the market for forensic audit services grows, so do the opportunities for firms to innovate and enhance their capabilities. This trend is expected to continue, with forensic auditing becoming an integral part of corporate governance in the UAE.

How Forensic Auditing Supports Corporate Governance

Forensic auditing plays a crucial role in supporting corporate governance by enhancing transparency and accountability within organizations. Forensic auditors help companies build stronger internal controls by identifying and addressing potential risks and improving their overall risk management strategies.

This, in turn, boosts investor confidence, as stakeholders are assured that the company is committed to maintaining the highest standards of financial integrity.

Choosing the Right Forensic Audit Firm

Selecting the right forensic audit firm in UAE is a critical decision for any organization. Key criteria to consider include the firm’s experience, expertise, and reputation in the industry. It’s also important to evaluate their approach to confidentiality and ethics, as these are essential elements of a successful forensic audit.

By choosing the right partner, businesses can ensure that their forensic auditing needs are met with the highest level of professionalism and effectiveness.

The Benefits of Regular Forensic Audits

Conducting regular forensic audits offers several long-term benefits, including enhanced fraud prevention, improved financial oversight, and increased confidence among stakeholders. While the cost of forensic auditing may be a concern for some companies, the benefits far outweigh the expenses, particularly when considering the potential financial and reputational damage caused by fraud.

Case studies have shown that organizations that invest in regular forensic audits are better equipped to prevent and detect fraud, leading to more sustainable business operations.

Challenges Faced by Forensic Auditors

Forensic auditors face several challenges in their work, including the complexities of detecting sophisticated fraud schemes and navigating the legal and regulatory landscape. Additionally, managing client expectations can be difficult, as clients often expect quick results, even in cases that require extensive investigation.

Despite these challenges, forensic auditors remain dedicated to their mission of protecting businesses from financial crime, continually adapting their strategies to stay ahead of emerging threats.

Conclusion

The role of forensic auditing services in fraud prevention cannot be overstated. By providing specialized expertise in detecting and investigating fraud, forensic auditors play a vital role in safeguarding the financial integrity of organizations. As the demand for these services continues to grow in the UAE, particularly in Dubai, businesses must recognize the value of forensic auditing in protecting their assets and reputation.

Investing in forensic auditing is not just a cost, but a crucial step towards building a robust and resilient business that can withstand the challenges of today’s complex financial landscape.

FAQs

1. What is the difference between forensic auditing and internal auditing? Forensic auditing focuses on detecting and investigating fraud, while internal auditing is concerned with ensuring that a company’s financial statements are accurate and comply with accounting standards.

2. How do forensic auditors detect fraud? Forensic auditors use a combination of data analysis, digital forensics, and investigative techniques to identify suspicious transactions and uncover evidence of fraud.

3. Why is forensic auditing important in the UAE? Forensic auditing is essential in the UAE due to the stringent regulatory environment and the need for businesses to maintain transparency and accountability in their financial operations.

4. How often should a company conduct a forensic audit? The frequency of forensic audits depends on the size and complexity of the organization, but many experts recommend conducting them annually or whenever there is a suspicion of fraud.

5. What qualifications should a forensic auditor have? Forensic auditors typically have a background in accounting or finance, along with specialized training in forensic auditing techniques and certification from recognized professional bodies.

[alrmehconsultant]

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[sugarmancompany-blog]

Purpose Of Forensic Accounting In Fresno And Oakland, CA

Many companies face financial difficulties and must conduct an internal audit to find the facts. A severe instance of fraud being conducted within the company, either by one of its employees or a rival, can jeopardize the company's financial prospects. The best way to stop this is to appoint a professional to check the related facts. In short, it is known as a forensic audit in Fresno and Oakland, CA, and elsewhere.

While most individuals automatically connect the term audit to theirs, an audit conducted by a company is not the same. Such an audit includes the following instead:-

· A detailed and structured examination of the financial records on behalf of the said company. It is often done after an internal audit to gather evidence fit to be presented in court during legal proceedings

· The audit is conducted by a professional who has to understand the legalities involved and have enough knowledge about accounting and audits to do it successfully

· A forensic audit consists of several steps, such as investigation planning, evidence collection, creating reports, and using them during court proceedings

Since the process is an investigation, the professionals charge a fee to conduct it and have the proof ready for use. Companies are willing to pay for the process for the following reasons:-

Conflict of Interest- An employee may misuse the company funds and/or misappropriate the employer's money for personal interest. This is sure to hurt the company's finances adversely. The employer or management may only have an inkling of the wrongdoing. It is the auditor who will find the proof and collate the evidence in the form of a report, thus identifying the offender.

Bribe- A company or a team representing it may be held liable for accepting a bribe when it receives money or expensive gifts in exchange for professional favors. While it is difficult to establish, the auditor will be able to uncover valuable evidence eventually.

Asset Misappropriation- This is a common offense that occurs in bigger companies. The employees may present fake bills or charge the company more for sourcing essentials.

False Financial statements- This type of fraud often occurs in the company's top management. The company may provide false information to obtain tenders or get a loan from the bank or NBFCs. Discovering this sort of offense is a painstaking process and may take time

A financial audit is done meticulously with the professional following certain steps to bring the facts to light. The steps usually include the following:-

· Investigation planning

· Evidence Collection

· Reporting

· Presenting the evidence and explaining in a court of law

Companies, both big and small, rely on forensic accounting in Fresno and Oakland, CA, to examine various financial records and analyze them to uncover evidence of fraud. Such highly complicated accounting is usually used by large financial entities such as banks, insurance companies, and law enforcement agencies. The process can be aptly described as a combination of accounting and investigative techniques.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Retiring the US debt would retire the US dollar

THIS WEDNESDAY (October 23) at 7PM, I'll be in DECATUR, GEORGIA, presenting my novel THE BEZZLE at EAGLE EYE BOOKS.

One of the most consequential series of investigative journalism of this decade was the Propublica series that Jesse Eisinger helmed, in which Eisinger and colleagues analyzed a trove of leaked IRS tax returns for the richest people in America:

https://www.propublica.org/series/the-secret-irs-files

The Secret IRS Files revealed the fact that many of America's oligarchs pay no tax at all. Some of them even get subsidies intended for poor families, like Jeff Bezos, whose tax affairs are so scammy that he was able to claim to be among the working poor and receive a federal Child Tax Credit, a $4,000 gift from the American public to one of the richest men who ever lived:

https://www.propublica.org/article/the-secret-irs-files-trove-of-never-before-seen-records-reveal-how-the-wealthiest-avoid-income-tax

As important as the numbers revealed by the Secret IRS Files were, I found the explanations even more interesting. The 99.9999% of us who never make contact with the secretive elite wealth management and tax cheating industry know, in the abstract, that there's something scammy going on in those esoteric cults of wealth accumulation, but we're pretty vague on the details. When I pondered the "tax loopholes" that the rich were exploiting, I pictured, you know, long lists of equations salted with Greek symbols, completely beyond my ken.

But when Propublica's series laid these secret tactics out, I learned that they were incredibly stupid ruses, tricks so thin that the only way they could possibly fool the IRS is if the IRS just didn't give a shit (and they truly didn't – after decades of cuts and attacks, the IRS was far more likely to audit a family earning less than $30k/year than a billionaire).

This has become a somewhat familiar experience. If you read the Panama Papers, the Paradise Papers, Luxleaks, Swissleaks, or any of the other spectacular leaks from the oligarch-industrial complex, you'll have seen the same thing: the rich employ the most tissue-thin ruses, and the tax authorities gobble them up. It's like the tax collectors don't want to fight with these ultrawealthy monsters whose net worth is larger than most nations, and merely require some excuse to allow them to cheat, anything they can scribble in the box explaining why they are worth billions and paying little, or nothing, or even entitled to free public money from programs intended to lift hungry children out of poverty.

It was this experience that fueled my interest in forensic accounting, which led to my bestselling techno-crime-thriller series starring the two-fisted, scambusting forensic accountant Martin Hench, who made his debut in 2022's Red Team Blues:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250865847/red-team-blues

The double outrage of finding out how badly the powerful are ripping off the rest of us, and how stupid and transparent their accounting tricks are, is at the center of Chokepoint Capitalism, the book about how tech and entertainment companies steal from creative workers (and how to stop them) that Rebecca Giblin and I co-authored, which also came out in 2022:

https://chokepointcapitalism.com/

Now that I've written four novels and a nonfiction book about finance scams, I think I can safely call myself a oligarch ripoff hobbyist. I find this stuff endlessly fascinating, enraging, and, most importantly, energizing. So naturally, when PJ Vogt devoted two episodes of his excellent Search Engine podcast to the subject last week, I gobbled them up:

https://www.searchengine.show/listen/search-engine-1/why-is-it-so-hard-to-tax-billionaires-part-1

I love the way Vogt unpacks complex subjects. Maybe you've had the experience of following a commentator and admiring their knowledge of subjects you're unfamiliar with, only have them cover something you're an expert in and find them making a bunch of errors (this is basically the experience of using an LLM, which can give you authoritative seeming answers when the subject is one you're unfamiliar with, but which reveals itself to be a Bullshit Machine as soon as you ask it about something whose lore you know backwards and forwards).

Well, Vogt has covered many subjects that I am an expert in, and I had the opposite experience, finding that even when he covers my own specialist topics, I still learn something. I don't always agree with him, but always find those disagreements productive in that they make me clarify my own interests. (Full disclosure: I was one of Vogt's experts on his previous podcast, Reply All, talking about the inkjet printerization of everything:)

https://gimletmedia.com/shows/reply-all/brho54

Vogt's series on taxing billionaires was no exception. His interview subjects (including Eisinger) were very good, and he got into a lot of great detail on the leaker himself, Charles Littlejohn, who plead guilty and was sentenced to five years:

https://jacobin.com/2023/10/charles-littlejohn-irs-whistleblower-pro-publica-tax-evasion-prosecution

Vogt also delved into the history of the federal income tax, how it was sold to the American public, and a rather hilarious story of Republican Congressional gamesmanship that backfired spectacularly. I'd never encountered this stuff before and boy was it interesting.

But then Vogt got into the nature of taxation, and its relationship to the federal debt, another subject I've written about extensively, and that's where one of those productive disagreements emerged. Yesterday, I set out to write him a brief note unpacking this objection and ended up writing a giant essay (sorry, PJ!), and this morning I found myself still thinking about it. So I thought, why not clean up the email a little and publish it here?

As much as I enjoyed these episodes, I took serious exception to one – fairly important! – aspect of your analysis: the relationship of taxes to the national debt.

There's two ways of approaching this question, which I think of as akin to classical vs quantum physics. In the orthodox, classical telling, the government taxes us to pay for programs. This is crudely true at 10,000 feet and as a rule of thumb, it's fine in many cases. But on the ground – at the quantum level, in this analogy – the opposite is actually going on.

There is only one source of US dollars: the US Treasury (you can try and make your own dollars, but they'll put you in prison for a long-ass time if they catch you.).

If dollars can only originate with the US government, then it follows that:

a) The US government doesn't need our taxes to get US dollars (for the same reason Apple doesn't need us to redeem our iTunes cards to get more iTunes gift codes);

b) All the dollars in circulation start with spending by the US government (taxes can't be paid until dollars are first spent by their issuer, the US government); and

c) That spending must happen before anyone has been taxed, because the way dollars enter circulation is through spending.

You've probably heard people say, "Government spending isn't like household spending." That is obviously true: households are currency users while governments are currency issuers.

But the implications of this are very interesting.

First, the total dollars in circulation are:

a) All the dollars the government has ever spent into existence funding programs, transferring to the states, and paying its own employees, minus

b) All the dollars that the government has taxed away from us, and subsequently annihilated.

(Because governments spend money into existence and tax money out of existence.)

The net of dollars the government spends in a given year minus the dollars the government taxes out of existence that year is called "the national deficit." The total of all those national deficits is called "the national debt." All the dollars in circulation today are the result of this national debt. If the US government didn't have a debt, there would be no dollars in circulation.

The only way to eliminate the national debt is to tax every dollar in circulation out of existence. Because the national debt is "all the dollars the government has ever spent," minus "all the dollars the government has ever taxed." In accounting terms, "The US deficit is the public's credit."

When billionaires like Warren Buffet tell Jesse Eisinger that he doesn't pay tax because "he thinks his money is better spent on charitable works rather than contributing to an insignificant reduction of the deficit," he is, at best, technically wrong about why we tax, and at worst, he's telling a self-serving lie. The US government doesn't need to eliminate its debt. Doing so would be catastrophic. "Retiring the US debt" is the same thing as "retiring the US dollar."

So if the USG isn't taxing to retire its debts, why does it tax? Because when the USG – or any other currency issuer – creates a token, that token is, on its face, useless. If I offered to sell you some "Corycoins," you would quite rightly say that Corycoins have no value and thus you don't need any of them.

For a token to be liquid – for it to be redeemable for valuable things, like labor, goods and services – there needs to be something that someone desires that can be purchased with that token. Remember when Disney issued "Disney dollars" that you could only spend at Disney theme parks? They traded more or less at face value, even outside of Disney parks, because everyone knew someone who was planning a Disney vacation and could make use of those Disney tokens.

But if you go down to a local carny and play skeeball and win a fistful of tickets, you'll find it hard to trade those with anyone outside of the skeeball counter, especially once you leave the carny. There's two reasons for this:

1) The things you can get at the skeeball counter are pretty crappy so most people don't desire them; and ' 2) Most people aren't planning on visiting the carny, so there's no way for them to redeem the skeeball tickets even if they want the stuff behind the counter (this is also why it's hard to sell your Iranian rials if you bring them back to the US – there's not much you can buy in Iran, and even someone you wanted to buy something there, it's really hard for US citizens to get to Iran).

But when a sovereign currency issuer – one with the power of the law behind it – demands a tax denominated in its own currency, they create demand for that token. Everyone desires USD because almost everyone in the USA has to pay taxes in USD to the government every year, or they will go to prison. That fact is why there is such a liquid market for USD. Far more people want USD to pay their taxes than will ever want Disney dollars to spend on Dole Whips, and even if you are hoping to buy a Dole Whip in Fantasyland, that desire is far less important to you than your desire not to go to prison for dodging your taxes.

Even if you're not paying taxes, you know someone who is. The underlying liquidity of the USD is inextricably tied to taxation, and that's the first reason we tax. By issuing a token – the USD – and then laying on a tax that can only be paid in that token (you cannot pay federal income tax in anything except USD – not crypto, not euros, not rials – only USD), the US government creates demand for that token.

And because the US government is the only source of dollars, the US government can purchase anything that is within its sovereign territory. Anything denominated in US dollars is available to the US government: the labor of every US-residing person, the land and resources in US territory, and the goods produced within the US borders. The US doesn't need to tax us to buy these things (remember, it makes new money by typing numbers into a spreadsheet at the Federal Reserve). But it does tax us, and if the taxes it levies don't equal the spending it's making, it also sells us T-bills to make up the shortfall.

So the US government kinda acts like classical physics is true, that is, like it is a household and thus a currency user, and not a currency issuer. If it spends more than it taxes, it "borrows" (issues T-bills) to make up the difference. Why does it do this? To fight inflation.

The US government has no monetary constraints, it can make as many dollars as it cares to (by typing numbers into a spreadsheet). But the US government is fiscally constrained, because it can only buy things that are denominated in US dollars (this is why it's such a big deal that global oil is priced in USD – it means the US government can buy oil from anywhere, not only the USA, just by typing numbers into a spreadsheet).

The supply of dollars is infinite, but the supply of labor and goods denominated in US dollars is finite, and, what's more, the people inside the USA expect to use that labor and goods for their own needs. If the US government issues so many dollars that it can outbid every private construction company for the labor of electricians, bricklayers, crane drivers, etc, and puts them all to work building federal buildings, there will be no private construction.

Indeed, every time the US government bids against the private sector for anything – labor, resources, land, finished goods – the price of that thing goes up. That's one way to get inflation (and it's why inflation hawks are so horny for slashing government spending – to get government bidders out of the auction for goods, services and labor).

But while the supply of goods for sale in US dollars is finite, it's not fixed. If the US government takes away some of the private sector's productive capacity in order to build interstates, train skilled professionals, treat sick people so they can go to work (or at least not burden their working-age relations), etc, then the supply of goods and services denominated in USD goes up, and that makes more fiscal space, meaning the government and the private sector can both consume more of those goods and services and still not bid against one another, thus creating no inflationary pressure.

Thus, taxes create liquidity for US dollars, but they do something else that's really important: they reduce the spending power of the private sector. If the US only ever spent money into existence and never taxed it out of existence, that would create incredible inflation, because the supply of dollars would go up and up and up, while the supply of goods and services you could buy with dollars would grow much more slowly, because the US government wouldn't have the looming threat of taxes with which to coerce us into doing the work to build highways, care for the sick, or teach people how to be doctors, engineers, etc.

Taxes coercively reduce the purchasing power of the private sector (they're a stick). T-bills do the same thing, but voluntarily (they the carrot).

A T-bill is a bargain offered by the US government: "Voluntarily park your money instead of spending it. That will create fiscal space for us to buy things without bidding against you, because it removes your money from circulation temporarily. That means we, the US government, can buy more stuff and use it to increase the amount of goods and services you can buy with your money when the bond matures, while keeping the supply of dollars and the supply of dollar-denominated stuff in rough equilibrium."

So a bond isn't a debt – it's more like a savings account. When you move money from your checking to your savings, you reduce its liquidity, meaning the bank can treat it as a reserve without worrying quite so much about you spending it. In exchange, the bank gives you some interest, as a carrot.

I know, I know, this is a big-ass wall of text. Congrats if you made it this far! But here's the upshot. We should tax billionaires, because it will reduce their economic power and thus their political power.

But we absolutely don't need to tax billionaires to have nice things. For example: the US government could hire every single unemployed person without creating inflationary pressure on wages, because inflation only happens when the US government tries to buy something that the private sector is also trying to buy, bidding up the price. To be "unemployed" is to have labor that the private sector isn't trying to buy. They're synonyms. By definition, the feds could put every unemployed person to work (say, training one another to be teachers, construction workers, etc – and then going out and taking care of the sick, addressing the housing crisis, etc etc) without buying any labor that the private sector is also trying to buy.

What's even more true than this is that our taxes are not going to reduce the national debt. That guest you had who said, "Even if we tax billionaires, we will never pay off the national debt,"" was 100% right, because the national debt equals all the money in circulation.

Which is why that guest was also very, very wrong when she said, "We will have to tax normal people too in order to pay off the debt." We don't have to pay off the debt. We shouldn't pay off the debt. We can't pay off the debt. Paying off the debt is another way of saying "eliminating the dollar."

Taxation isn't a way for the government to pay for things. Taxation is a way to create demand for US dollars, to convince people to sell goods and services to the US government, and to constrain private sector spending, which creates fiscal space for the US government to buy goods and services without bidding up their prices.

And in a "classical physics" sense, all of the preceding is kinda a way of saying, "Taxes pay for government spending." As a rough approximation, you can think of taxes like this and generally not get into trouble.

But when you start to make policy – when you contemplate when, whether, and how much to tax billionaires ��� you leave behind the crude, high-level approximation and descend into the nitty-gritty world of things as they are, and you need to jettison the convenience of the easy-to-grasp approximation.

If you're interested in learning more about this, you can tune into this TED Talk by Stephanie Kelton, formerly formerly advisor to the Senate Budget Committee chair, now back teaching and researching econ at University of Missouri at Kansas City:

https://www.ted.com/talks/stephanie_kelton_the_big_myth_of_government_deficits?subtitle=en

Stephanie has written a great book about this, The Deficit Myth:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/05/14/everybody-poops/#deficit-myth

There's a really good feature length doc about it too, called "Finding the Money":

https://findingmoneyfilm.com/

If you'd like to read more of my own work on this, here's a column I wrote about the nature of currency in light of Web3, crypto, etc:

https://locusmag.com/2022/09/cory-doctorow-moneylike/

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/21/we-can-have-nice-things/#public-funds-not-taxpayer-dollars