Is it true that Congress never passed the Income Tax?

Question

because I've heard urban legends (?) to the effect that some people have successfully used this as an excuse for not paying. What is the status of this legend?

Answer 1

Every year a number of people who believe that the income tax system is not legal receive an all expenses paid vacation to Kansas or some other exotic location. I have noted that a large number of Federal Correctional Officers live in or near those locations so they must be very appealing. Perhaps if you operate under this practice long enough you will win one of those vacations.

Answer 2

People have attempted this lame excuse but it is not true.

The 16th amendment authorized the collection of income taxes and the tax code is the law that states how much and when you will pay those taxes.

If you don't want to pay taxes, then I guess you don't want to use any of the services taxes pay for. No more driving on paved roads for you! If your house burns down, we'll tell the police and fire department not to respond. We'll turn off your clean running water and hope you can find a stream or dig a well. I hope you make good money because you will have to pay for private school for your kids. And so on.....

Yeah, it sucks to give up a portion of your hard earned cash. (Particularly when the politicians spend so much of it on stupid things) But taxes really are necessary for the country to function and to provide basic services.

Answer 3

It's not true. It's another scam. That's straight from the IRS & Attorney General's Office.

Until 1913 it was on again & off again. Here's how it became permanent.:

In 1913, the 16th Amendment to the Constitution made the income tax a permanent fixture in the U.S. tax system. The amendment gave Congress legal authority to tax income and resulted in a revenue law that taxed incomes of both individuals and corporations. In fiscal year 1918, annual internal revenue collections for the first time passed the billion-dollar mark, rising to $5.4 billion by 1920. With the advent of World War II, employment increased, as did tax collections—to $7.3 billion. The withholding tax on wages was introduced in 1943 and was instrumental in increasing the number of taxpayers to 60 million and tax collections to $43 billion by 1945

Answer 4

There are people called tax protesters who use this as an excuse, and don't pay their taxes. Eventually a large number of them have gotten free room and board in federal prisons - this doesn't happen the first hour they don't pay, since it takes awhile to get around to them, so they do get away with it for awhile. Once they get caught up to, the IRS gets the money from their assets if they have any, plus they can get a prison term for their actions.

Answer 5

I've heard that too and it seems that there is some truth in it but it's shady. Actually witholding taxes from your check isn't legal and it was allowed by the public during WWII when people were patriotic about the war and the Feds never got away from it. Vote for the fair tax.

Answer 6

No the sixteenth exchange replaced into ratified, that is merely that the very proper courtroom in 1915 declared that it gave "no new ability of taxation" Now don't be fooled by utilising tax protestors, the earnings tax continues to be constitutional.

Answer 7

That's what I hear.

This will tell you all about it.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7521758492370018023&q=federal+tax

Answer 8

I heard it too.