Quote:
Originally Posted by Hondaracer
Pretty simple, if you’ve got a multi million dollar home and legitimately can’t afford the taxes, you’re a loser.
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What's
legitimately can't afford the taxes?
My in-laws collect around $24/yr in CPP/OAS/GIS and get some rental income ($18k?) from their basement suite. They drive a 18 year old car, don't go on vacations, and live a generally basic life but as elderly they don't have extended health coverage so when my FIL needed dental surgery it was a $20k bill that he kept putting off till the pain was too much (and he didn't want the help of his kids for it).
Could they pay the $6k or so of annual property taxes? Yes (and they have been till last year) but that $6k can be the difference between dental surgery or one of the last vacations they may ever take. They are pretty marginal on making it work and it wouldn't take much for them to legitimately not be able to pay property taxes through their existing income.
My MIL sewed life jackets for 30+ years (minimum wage), barely speaks English, and raised 3 successful kids and somehow managed to own a home worth $1.7m - she didn't ask to be a millionaire, it just happened to her. Outside of their home they have less than $100k of assets.
If the gov't is going to offer a very low cost program that makes their lives easier why shouldn't they take the gov't up on that offer?