How Can You Beat The Proverbial Black Tax?

Black Tax is a term used to refer to a situation where your family members or relatives feel that because you are part of them, then what you have is theirs and you must share with them or else they will pronounce a serious curse on you and your life.

Black Tax is common among many African cultures. For instance, it starts when parents spend so much on their firstborn’s education and expect him to make it in life and support the rest of the family through education and poverty alienation.

Black Tax is also where a spouse expects the other party to help his/her own people without questioning for the simple reason that he/she share some conjugal or biological tools in the name of marriage.

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If you often receive so many calls from your “people back home” every end of the month, with each call stating a “problem that needs your urgent attention in terms of emptying your pockets,” you are not helping out but you are remitting your Black Tax.

So, can you beat the Black Tax? The immediate answer is NO. You cannot abandon your family. Everything else can fade, and everything else can be replaced but not your family. But is your family entitled to drain you just because they are family? No.

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Although it is not easy to beat the Black Tax, it is important to know that Black Tax should not drive you into poverty or into an early grave. The first thing you should do is set boundaries. Among your family members, who are entitled to Black Tax?

Let the closest family members like your mother, father, or sisters be the beneficiaries of the Black Tax from you. This does not mean that you should be sending them money every time they as for it. You should only send money when it is very necessary and for a specific purpose.

Sometimes brothers and sisters can be crafty and might exploit your “generosity” to ask for money every now and then. Each time they do, make sure you know exactly what they are going to do with the money. If it is for school fees, pay directly to the school.

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Also, look at where this Black Tax often goes. If it is paying medical bills for your parents, for instance, it would be cheaper if you secured medical insurance for them. The most affordable medical insurance is the NHIF one. But do not die because of the Black Tax.