The main reason taxes feel so painful is because the government is inefficient. It is like paying for a service from a bad company, that is also a monopoly. You don't get your money word and you must pay every time.
I think there should be full transparency on government spending, down to the individual dollar. If there is "black money" for special operations, it can be labelled as such, but the in and out should always equal zero. Blockchain it all.
Income tax should disappear and be turned into VAT
Yes, this is what I think the "endgame" of tax should be, but it isn't going to happen unless there is the pressure to do so.
It would also encourage a healthy marketplace, as people would only spend into the market when they find something they like.
I think it would encourage spending also, rather than just investing for more gain at the higher end. It would create a different dynamic for wealth creation and expenditure.
Yes, companies have the benefit to be taxed on profits after expenses, and many try to have zero profits. People don't have that option, we get taxed on income.
Also, I don't get to choose which country I pay my tax in, I have to pay it where I earn it. Companies can earn locally, but choose to pay internationally somewhere else, like Ireland. I think in Australia, Google earned something like 8 billion locally, but paid less than a percent of it in tax.