Do American Legally Have to Pay Taxes?

[USMC]

Ok, so my thread got moved to Misc Movies. Sorry bout that, never even bothered to go to that forum.

So, in a different direction:

Based off of different sources and arguments about the law and the Constitution, are Americans legally required to pay taxes?

Thoughts?

[Joker]

yes, dont be silly...snopes has a big article on this :o

[Strange]

NO, you don't have to pay taxes. But if you make over $5,000 a year you will go to jail if you don't. Why do you think a lot of mob people get convicted of tax evasion?

[USMC]

Where? I cant find it. :(

[Joker]

they redesigned there site a while back, maybe it's down...let me look...

[USMC]

NO, you don't have to pay taxes. But if you make over $5,000 a year you will go to jail if you don't. Why do you think a lot of mob people get convicted of tax evasion?

I just meant, is there an actual federal law in the constitution or elswhere that requires Americans to pay taxes?

[Strange]

I just meant, is there an actual federal law in the constitution or elswhere that requires Americans to pay taxes?

I'm not sure, there has to be something if you can be convicted of tax evasion and its a federal crime. I just want to know who the government think they are? I mean Jesus only asks for 10% but big brother takes 45%.:mad:

[Daisy]

Yes, the 16th Amendment:

"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever sources derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."

And within the tax code it is required as well.

What people who argue we aren't required to to pay taxes point to as evidence is the phrase "voluntary compliance" as proof that you don't have to, but that doesn't mean paying taxes is 'optional'. It means that no one comes to your house to assess what you own and take the govenment's share (which is how it used to be done). Instead, you voluntarily report your income and they (for the most part) trust you to be truthful (although they do have audit powers).

[Strange]

Yes, the 16th Amendment:

"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever sources derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."

And within the tax code it is required as well.

What people who argue we aren't required to to pay taxes point to as evidence is the phrase "voluntary compliance" as proof that you don't have to, but that doesn't mean paying taxes is 'optional'. It means that no one comes to your house to assess what you own and take the govenment's share (which is how it used to be done). Instead, you voluntarily report your income and they (for the most part) trust you to be truthful (although they do have audit powers).

There are also penalties for not paying your taxes upfront. You can't wait until the April 15th to pay all of your taxes because they will fine you, I found this out.

[USMC]

Yes, the 16th Amendment:

"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever sources derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."

And within the tax code it is required as well.

What people who argue we aren't required to to pay taxes point to as evidence is the phrase "voluntary compliance" as proof that you don't have to, but that doesn't mean paying taxes is 'optional'. It means that no one comes to your house to assess what you own and take the govenment's share (which is how it used to be done). Instead, you voluntarily report your income and they (for the most part) trust you to be truthful (although they do have audit powers).


Some argue that the 16th Amendment was never legally ratified into law, as at the time (1913) it was required that 3/4 of the states in the Union must agree to ratify it. Depending on your sources (which I am repeatedly finding), only 33-35 of the 48 states ratified the amendment. 36 were needed. Some of the sources even go so far as to say that LEGALLY TO THE LETTER OF THE LAW, none of the 48 states correctly ratified the amendment, and that the only REAL evidence of the 16th Amendment having been confirmed was by the then Secretary of State Philander Knox on February 25, 1913, wherein he simply declared it to be "ineffect", but never stating it was lawfully ratified.

So, technically speaking (based off of who you believe), the 16th Amendment is illegal.

[Daisy]

I'd check this out before you decide to stop paying taxes:

http://moneycentral.msn.com/articles/tax/basics/6195.asp?Printer

[USMC]

I'd check this out before you decide to stop paying taxes:

http://moneycentral.msn.com/articles/tax/basics/6195.asp?Printer


lol, I'm not going to stop paying taxes, I just saw all this stuff on the 16th Amendment and never knew there was such a debate going on. I just find the whole subject interesting, that's all.

:o

[Weir]

I just meant, is there an actual federal law in the constitution or elswhere that requires Americans to pay taxes?

No there isn't. Tax ivasion is illegal, but not paying taxes isnt. The difference if where you can prove the person was purposely not trying to pay taxes, ala Al capone, but if you just don't pay there is nothing wrong with that.

I have not paid my taxes in over five years!:) :up:

[Leto Atrides]

There are obscure loopholes, but they're ususally unintentional are get patched alot, as far as I know. For example, some obscure descision said only corporations can make "income", so you can as a private individual say your income is 0, and therefore not have taxes. Someone was trying to use that as excuse, but it was contradicted by something else. You could probably find something that says you don't have to, but it would be an oversight and you'd have to defend it, and it may only work once.

So what I'm trying to say is there might be ways around it, but the intent of the law is for people to pay taxes.

[Wilhelm-Scream]

Yes, the 16th Amendment:

"The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever sources derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."

And within the tax code it is required as well.

What people who argue we aren't required to to pay taxes point to as evidence is the phrase "voluntary compliance" as proof that you don't have to, but that doesn't mean paying taxes is 'optional'. It means that no one comes to your house to assess what you own and take the govenment's share (which is how it used to be done). Instead, you voluntarily report your income and they (for the most part) trust you to be truthful (although they do have audit powers).See, this stuff turns me on as much as the spanking stuff. Weird.
Viva La Daisy

[Clerk]

For a second, I got the impression you left America USMC. :o