Why do Americans have to pay a federal income tax on wages?

Question

There is no law that states that Americans are required to by law to pay taxes for their wages, but why do we pay them? To my understanding the income generated from paying taxes on our wages go to a private bank (The Federal Reserve Bank) that the U.S. government is in dept with.

For all those who believe that the taxes from our wages goes to streets, schools, lights, the greater good of public. Please pick up a book, most of these are paid through property and state taxes. Not taxes from your wages.

Again the Federal Reserve is a PRIVATE BANK-established in 1913. Check your history. Again for those who believe their is a LAW that states you must, please let me know.

The IRS can not interpret law or the constitution the only power that has that authority is the U.S. Supreme Court and they have ruled that the 16th amendment does give any one the authority to tax your wages. You can tax property and goods, but not wages.

Answer 1

To the morons practicing law without a license: which law specifically and why don't you cite them? Could it be you don't know of any law requiring you to pay income tax? I do believe the Federal Reserve Bank is privately owned, though I can't tell you who owns it you might want to research it yourself. And our country is a republic, not a democracy. Look up the definitions, but feel free to pledge allegiance to the flag and to the democracy for which it stands if that makes you feel better.

To the asker: Americans have to pay income tax to avoid the violence inherent in the government. If you don't pay they will seize your assets, throw you in jail, and ruin your life in general, in the name of protecting you. Similar to a mafia protection racket in many ways, except the mafia didn't declare themselves legal when they forced you to pay for your protection. I recommend reading some works by Lysander Spooner or Marc Stevens for more information on the subject.

Edit: Thank you for your input Cappy sorry I missed your post, but where did Congress get this Power: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration."?
If you say "They get it from the people.", I know I never had the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, and you didn't either the whole is equal to the sum of it's parts. If I can't lay and collect taxes from whatever source derived and you can't together we still can't even if we had five more people it wouldn't help. 10,000 people wouldn't be enough we could pull it off with violence to enforce our actions, but it's still unjust. If we have no right to take someone else's property against their will even to protect them, then we cannot delegate that power to any other person or agency. Including government. If 2 or 10 or 10,000 or any number of people can't lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, how do you propose to have them delegate a power they never had to begin with? And why don't they lay and collect taxes on incomes, from China, Russia or Iraq (whatever source derived)? Unless declaring something legal didn't actually make it just? Perhaps China, Russia or Iraq wouldn't tolerate our government deriving income from them, and the government can't force them to comply with violence and coertion?

Answer 2

There is a law that allows taxation, it is the 16th Amendment to the Constitution. Here is an excerpt, "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration." Wage withholding is required by the Internal Revenue Code, which is Title 26 of the Federal Code. The Internal Revenue Service collects taxes on behalf of the Treasury Department. The Federal Reserve is primarily responsible for some banking regulation and setting the nation's monetary policy, essentially the interest rate the government charges for lending money.

Answer 3

On Feb 3, 1913 the states ratified the 16th Amendment to the U.S Constitution. It states...
The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment to the several states, and without regard to any census or enumeration.
So, to answer your question, YES it is in the law. The IRS just helps Congress interprite the laws. So, if you want something changed in the laws, you need to contact Congress. People call their Congressman/woman all the time to change laws. That's why the laws change EVERY year. Go to irs.gov to recieve the new laws every year.
Also, they first started to collect taxes to fund the civil war. Now, it funds MANY things. How else would we go to school for free, drive on roads for free, have military defend us for free, and so on and so on. Almost everyone pays taxes, and that's what we have to do to have all of this. And to have the freedom to say **GOD BLESS!

Answer 4

When was the last time you were on a freeway ? On a public school ? On a visit to your city library ? - And no, our taxes DO NOT GO to a private bank - They are paid to the IRS, a private organization, a company incorporated in the state od Delaware -They are agents that collect our taxes - Is there a law that says that they should ? - NO - I know people who have not filed or paid taxes in years and the IRS has NEVER tried to collect from them - The IRS intimidates you and the majority of the people in the US are scared to face them - They are very porwerful and have more power than the President of the US.- The Constitution states that Congress has the power to " levy taxes " - PERIOD

Answer 5

I think we need to do a little reality check.

* For the income tax laws, check out:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/index.php/Income_tax
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode26/usc_sup_01_26_10_A.html
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode26/usc_sec_26_00006012----000-.html
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode26/usc_sec_26_00000001----000-.html
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode26/usc_sec_26_00000003----000-.html
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode26/usc_sec_26_00006651----000-.html

* These laws were not created by the IRS. They were codified by acts of congress...

Revenue act of 1862:
http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Revenue_Act_of_1862

1894 Income Tax and the Wilson-Gorman Tariff Act:
http://law.enotes.com/major-acts-congress/income-tax-wilson-gorman-tariff-act

Revenue act of 1913:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revenue_Act_of_1913
http://law.enotes.com/major-acts-congress/federal-income-tax

Internal Revenue Code of 1954:
http://law.enotes.com/major-acts-congress/internal-revenue-act
http://www.reference.com/browse/wiki/Internal_Revenue_Code_of_1954
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_Revenue_Code_of_1954

Tax reform act of 1986:
http://www.answers.com/topic/tax-reform-act-of-1986
http://law.enotes.com/major-acts-congress/tax-reform-act
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_Reform_Act_of_1986

* And where does income tax go? Only a small portion goes to the Federal Reserve. From 2004...

Revenue from income taxes: $809B
(ref: http://www.publicagenda.org/issues/factfiles_detail.cfm?issue_type=federal_budget&list=7)

Budget of the Federal Reserve: $2.9B
(Ref: http://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/foia/frbbankbudgets/2007ReserveBankBudgets.pdf)

Let's see... that's about 3/10ths of 1% of income taxes going to the Federal Reserve (assuming no portion of other revenue is used)


* The statement that the Federal Reserve is private is not wholly true.

The Federal Reserve System is organized with a government agency at the top (the Board of Governors), and branches beneath them that resemble private corporations. (http://www.federalreserveeducation.org/fed101/structure/ )

The Board of Governors are all appointed for 14-year terms by the president and confirmed by congress. It operates per it's charter and laws set by congress. it is overseen by congress. There is no structure or mechanism for private ownership at this level. Board members are forbidden by law to have any economic interest in a private bank.

The 12 branches, however, are organized similar to private corporations. Member banks are required to buy shares in their branch. They can vote for 6 of their 9 board members. The shares get a standard 6% dividend. These shares cannot be sold on the open market. (more info: http://www.federalreserve.gov/generalinfo/faq/faqfrbanks.htm#6 )

All 'profit' from the Federal Reserve operations are turned over to the Treasury at the end of the year. Since 1913, about 95% of the interest earned from TBill has been returned to the Federal Reserve.

* For a rebuttal on the "cannot tax labor argument", see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_protester_constitutional_arguments#Taxing_labor_or_income_from_labor

Answer 6

The Supreme Court has rules that income taxes ARE legal. Don't believe everything you hear.

Answer 7

If America did what you are proposing we would be the same as cuba and china- Communists. Now i dont know about you but communism scares me. If me paying taxes keeps my govt. democratic, then tax me up uncle sam!!!

Answer 8

The government like to waste money thats why they take so much from us. It stinks but thats life here.

Answer 9

Yes there is a law and no that bank isn't private