When you are born into a particular nation, you are born with a certain set of expectations. One of these expectations is that with any income that you make, over the course of your life, a portion goes to the government.

Most people just accept it. Some even say that it is patriotic. Many actually say that we should pay more.

But is that really true?

First, let me state that this article does NOT promote doing anything illegal. You should pay the taxes that you have due, based on your country of residence, and your country of citizenship's rules. It is the law.

But, I do want to get you thinking. Certain people in power want you to think that reducing your tax burden is some how immoral. Even when it is done legally.

Is it really? And is paying taxes really patriotic? Or, is it something else? Something bordering on legal theft?

Let's look at a couple of scenarios.

In the first scenario, you have a drug addict living next door. The drug addict needs some new needles to support their habit.

That same addict starts banging on your door. You answer your door to find the addict standing there. Where he promptly demands you give him money so he can go out and buy some new needles.

You may even offer to help with his addiction by sending him to rehab, but he will have none of that. He just demands you buy him needles.

Would you give him the money to go buy the needles? I am guessing for most of you, probably not. Unless you were forced to, at the point of a gun.

But, let's turn the scenario around. Now, your government decides they are going to create a new free needle program. I am not debating whether this is a worthy program or not, I am just using it as illustration.

In order to pay for this program, you are levied with a new tax. This new tax goes towards a program for addicts who don't want to quit, they just want free needles. Before you start thinking this is an outrageous example, Canada does use tax dollars to buy needles for addicts.

What is it that makes the second scenario any more patriotic or moral? Your money is still being taken for something that you disagree with. If you agree with free needle programs, just substitute this example for something you don't agree with. Once again, that is only an example.

How is this any different from someone walking up to your door with a gun and demanding your money, for their own purposes? How is it any more patriotic to give that money?

Here is a scenario that asks the morality question. What if your tax dollars were going to create concentration camps? Like they did in Nazi Germany, for example?

It is still law that you pay your taxes. That doesn't change. But, is it moral for you to pay the tax? Or is it moral for you to refuse based on you not wanting your tax to be used for such a purpose? You could also apply this question to a war you don't agree with.

This is a strong example, but no matter what tax is used for, there are going to be people who disagree with the purpose. In many cases, what it is being used for is down right immoral. At least in someone's opinion.

Democracy in theory should mean that less than 50% of the people disagree with a law. But that makes it law, not moral. If you think something is immoral, the majority disagreeing with you doesn't make it so.

Besides, the 50% rule is seldom ever the case. There are many places where tax dollars go, that far more than 50% of the population thinks it is immoral. But the tax laws still pass, even though only a small percentage of the population agrees with it.

Taxes are law, and a part of life. And they will always be around. But, it is hard to make the argument that they are moral. And, completely impossible to argue that if you employ legal strategies to reduce your tax burden, you are doing anything immoral.

At best, they are an expense we have to live with. The price we pay to live in society. At worst, they are legal theft.

You owe it to yourself and to your family to investigate every legal strategy possible to reduce your tax burden.

Give generously to the causes and charities you agree with. And pay every cent of tax that you have owing.

But there is no need to feel guilty about wanting to choose where as much of your hard earned money goes, as you can. In fact, it is your responsibility.

We are told that paying taxes is patriotic and moral. But that isn't true if the taxes are used to pay for items you feel are immoral.

You have a legal responsibility to pay your taxes. Morality has nothing to do with it.

Glen Kowalski is passionate that anyone who would like to live abroad have the opportunity to do so. Through Freedom Offshore, he provides information on Living Abroad, Moving Offshore, Opening Offshore Bank Accounts and Offshore Corporations, Location Independence, Nomadic Living, Privacy and Freedom.

You can download the free ebook Moving Offshore on his website.

Or, if you are serious about moving abroad now, not years from now, check out " How to Live Abroad - The Ultimate Offshore Living Program" and get moving towards your plans today.