---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Any one may so arrange his affairs that…"
description: "\"Any one may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which will best pay the Treasury;..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/learned-hand-5343_advice_any-one-may-so-arrange-his-affairs-that_2362850.png"
---

#  Any one may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be…

![“Any one may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which will best pay the Treasury; there is not even a patriotic duty to increase ones taxes.” quote by Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/learned-hand-5343_advice_any-one-may-so-arrange-his-affairs-that_2362850.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/learned-hand-5343_advice_any-one-may-so-arrange-his-affairs-that_2362850.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/learned-hand-5343_advice_any-one-may-so-arrange-his-affairs-that_2362850.png)

> “Any one may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which will best pay the Treasury; there is not even a patriotic duty to increase ones taxes.”

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Tax planning may minimize liability, but there is no patriotic duty to overpay taxes.

**In simple terms:** You can legally reduce taxes; no moral obligation to increase them.

Key Takeaway

Balance tax efficiency with civic responsibility.

Themes

taxation patriotism legal strategy

Mood

pragmatic critical

Type

legal ethical

When to use this quote

- financial planning
- policy debate
- corporate governance

Key Concepts

economics ethics public finance

Questions to Reflect On

- Is minimizing taxes selfish?
- When does tax avoidance become unethical?

A Different Perspective

Tax avoidance can erode public services.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Affair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affair/) [Affairs Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affairs-taxes-4403690/) [Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bounds/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Increase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increase/) [Low Possible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/low-possible-2411667/) [Lows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lows/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Ones Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ones-taxes-5791262/) [Patriotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotic/) [Patterns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patterns/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Taxes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes/) [Taxes Shall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taxes-shall-3086217/) [Treasury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treasury/) [Treasury Patriotic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treasury-patriotic-5791263/)

## Related quotes

> [Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/anyone-may-arrange-his-affairs-so-that-his-taxes-shall-be-as-low-as/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [There is nothing sinister in so arranging one's affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/there-is-nothing-sinister-in-so-arranging-one-s-affairs-as-to-keep/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [Here is my principle: Taxes shall be levied according to ability to pay. That is the only American principle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/here-is-my-principle-taxes-shall-be-levied-according-to-ability-to/)

[Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/)

> [Let a man go down as low as possible; there must come a time when out of sheer desperation he will take an upward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/let-a-man-go-down-as-low-as-possible-there-must-come-a-time-when-out/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [One of the things I think is very likely is that with the prospects of robust fiscal stimulus in response to voters mad as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-shilling/one-of-the-things-i-think-is-very-likely-is-that-with-the-prospects/)

[Gary Shilling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-shilling/)

> [The Treasury Department would use the interest from these securities to hire U.S. companies to build Saudi Arabia - new cities, new infrastructure -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perkins/the-treasury-department-would-use-the-interest-from-these-securities/)

[John Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perkins/)

> [Debtor countries may postpone the inevitable by borrowing from the IMF or U.S. Treasury to buy out bondholders. This saves the latter from taking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hudson/debtor-countries-may-postpone-the-inevitable-by-borrowing-from-the/)

[Michael Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hudson/)

> [A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until a majority of voters discover that they can vote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-fraser-tytler/a-democracy-cannot-exist-as-a-permanent-form-of-government-it-can/)

[Alexander Fraser Tytler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-fraser-tytler/)

> [Have I given any symptoms of an avaricious disposition? Have I obtained any grants from the crown since I have been placed at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-walpole/have-i-given-any-symptoms-of-an-avaricious-disposition-have-i/)

[Robert Walpole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-walpole/)

> [Senior development specialists in the Treasury can be counted on one hand. America's government is not even aware of the gap between its commitments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-sachs/senior-development-specialists-in-the-treasury-can-be-counted-on-one/)

[Jeffrey Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-sachs/)

> [That's what a Congressman or a Senator is for -- to see that too much money don't accumulate in the national Treasury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/that-s-what-a-congressman-or-a-senator-is-for-to-see-that-too-much/)

[Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/)

> [As treasury secretary, I don't see it as my role commenting on the dollar in short-term movements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-mnuchin/as-treasury-secretary-i-don-t-see-it-as-my-role-commenting-on-the/)

[Steve Mnuchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-mnuchin/)

> [All money nowadays seems to be produced with a natural homing instinct for the Treasury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-philip/all-money-nowadays-seems-to-be-produced-with-a-natural-homing/)

[Prince Philip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-philip/)

> [In five years of my previous tenure, the treasury was never shut for one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amarinder-singh/in-five-years-of-my-previous-tenure-the-treasury-was-never-shut-for/)

[Amarinder Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amarinder-singh/)

> [If the members of parliament no longer consider themselves mandatories of the taxpayers but deputies of those receiving salaries, wages, subsidies, doles, and other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/if-the-members-of-parliament-no-longer-consider-themselves/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

## More by Learned Hand

> [Conservative political opinion in America cleaves to the tradition of the judge as passive interpreter, believing that his absolute loyalty to authoritative law is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/conservative-political-opinion-in-america-cleaves-to-the-tradition-of/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [When I say that a thing is true, I mean that I cannot help believing it... But...I do not venture to assume that my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/when-i-say-that-a-thing-is-true-i-mean-that-i-cannot-help-believing/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> ['I beseech ye . . . , think that ye may be mistaken.' I should like to have that written over the portals of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/i-beseech-ye-think-that-ye-may-be-mistaken-i-should-like-to-have-that/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [If the prosecution of crime is to be conducted with so little regard for that protection which centuries of English law have given to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/if-the-prosecution-of-crime-is-to-be-conducted-with-so-little-regard/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [I beseech ye in the bowels of Christ, think that ye may be mistaken." I should like to have that written over the portals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/i-beseech-ye-in-the-bowels-of-christ-think-that-ye-may-be-mistaken-i/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [What seems fair enough against a squalid huckster of bad liquor may take on a different face, if used by government determined to suppress…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/what-seems-fair-enough-against-a-squalid-huckster-of-bad-liquor-may/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [The spirit of liberty is the spirit of him who, near two thousand years ago, taught mankind that lesson it has never learned ... .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/the-spirit-of-liberty-is-the-spirit-of-him-who-near-two-thousand/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [I had rather take my chance that some traitors will escape detection than spread abroad a spirit of general suspicion and distrust, which accepts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/i-had-rather-take-my-chance-that-some-traitors-will-escape-detection/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [The successful competitor, having been urged to compete, must not be turned upon when he wins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/the-successful-competitor-having-been-urged-to-compete-must-not-be/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [Words are not pebbles in alien juxtaposition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/words-are-not-pebbles-in-alien-juxtaposition/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [It is often hard to secure unanimity about the borders of legislative power, but that is much easier than to decide how far a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/it-is-often-hard-to-secure-unanimity-about-the-borders-of-legislative/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [Each one of us must in the end choose for himself how far he would like to leave our collective fate to the wayward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/each-one-of-us-must-in-the-end-choose-for-himself-how-far-he-would/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [It lies in the hearts of men and women; when it dies there, no constitution, no law, no court can save it. While it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/it-lies-in-the-hearts-of-men-and-women-when-it-dies-there-no/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [A self-made man may prefer a self-made name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/a-self-made-man-may-prefer-a-self-made-name/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

> [No doubt one may quote history to support any cause, as the devil quotes scripture; but modern history is not a very satisfactory side-arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/no-doubt-one-may-quote-history-to-support-any-cause-as-the-devil/)

[Learned Hand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

[Explore all 101 Learned Hand quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/)

## More Advice quotes

> [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/)

[Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/)

> [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/)

[Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/)

> [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/)

[Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/)

> [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/)

[Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/)

> [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/)

[Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/)

> [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/)

[Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/)

> [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/)

[Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/)

> [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/)

[Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/)

> [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/)

[Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/)

[Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Any one may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which will best pay the Treasury; there is not even a patriotic duty to increase ones taxes.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Learned Hand"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/any-one-may-so-arrange-his-affairs-that-his-taxes-shall-be-as-low-as/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Advice"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/any-one-may-so-arrange-his-affairs-that-his-taxes-shall-be-as-low-as/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/learned-hand-5343_advice_any-one-may-so-arrange-his-affairs-that_2362850.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/learned-hand-5343_advice_any-one-may-so-arrange-his-affairs-that_2362850.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/884/learned-hand-5343_advice_any-one-may-so-arrange-his-affairs-that_2362850.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Any one may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose…” — Learned Hand",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Learned Hand",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/learned-hand/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Any one may so arrange his...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/any-one-may-so-arrange-his-affairs-that-his-taxes-shall-be-as-low-as/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/learned-hand/any-one-may-so-arrange-his-affairs-that-his-taxes-shall-be-as-low-as/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
