What do you say to someone who says there is no law require you to pay income tax?

Question

What law is it that requires it? I don't actually believe that croc, I just want to know the actual law.

An amendmant, is a CHANGE to the constitution. The constitution was changed by legal means, therefore it is constitutional for the goverment to collect taxes.

Answer 1

I point them to Title 26 of the U.S. Code which can be found online at http://www2.law.cornell.edu/uscode/26/usc_sup_01_26.html
I then guide them to the following set of books.
http://west.thomson.com/store/product.aspx?r=3471&product_id=10245850
Any arguments they have can be properly refuted by a proper reading of the law. I will also cite court cases. Federal Appellate and Supreme Court cases can be read online for free at http://www.findlaw.com You have to register as a law professional, but there is no charge.

A couple of people have put together some excellent FAQ pages debunking most tax protestor arguments. These are:
http://evans-legal.com/dan/tpfaq.html and
http://www.quatloos.com/

BTW, the 16th amendment did not give Congress the power to tax incomes, because they ALWAYS had that power from Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. The court that presided over the Pollock (1895) case got the constitutional intent wrong and besides, the Pollock case was more about taxes on income from property and not income taxes in general. Income taxes are INDIRECT taxes and always have been in a Constitutional sense. The Supreme Court in Stanton v. Baltic Mining Co., 240 U.S. 103 (1916) said it best when they said: "...by the previous ruling it was settled that the provisions of the 16th Amendment conferred no new power of taxation, but simply prohibited the previous complete and plenary power of income taxation possessed by Congress from the beginning from being taken out of the category of indirect taxation to which it inherently belonged, and being placed [240 U.S. 103, 113] in the category of direct taxation..."

Good luck,

Answer 2

Generally, I just smile and nod...if I say anything I usually ask them if they look good in stripes.

The people saying this usually use an argument that the amendment wasn't ratified in a timely manner. But, at this point it really doesn't matter. There are several ways laws can be made. Each has a check and a balance...and in this case the highest court in our land says it is legal and the Congress hasn't passed a law to prohibit it.

Which simply means, even if their arguments are correct that is moot at this point. The tax laws are legal. Just because it wasn't addressed in the Constitution doesn't mean it is not legal.

Answer 3

Regardless of what people think or what loop holes one may find, tax evasion is a federal offense. Most of your local, county, state, and national income comes from taxes. When I turned 18, I changed my name. Social Security didn't update my records properly. Five years later, at age 23, I didn't get my federal tax return. I called the IRS to find out why and they replied with a large envelope full of reasons and violations. Fines in the 7 digit range and everything from tax evasion to falsifying official documents. If found guilty, I would spend the rest of my life in a federal prison. I tracked the problem down to Social Security. Took only a couple minutes on the phone to fix, but made a believer out of me!

Answer 4

I would say, "Read the 16th Amendment to the Constitution, and then read Section 61 of Title 26 of the United States Code."

Then I would ask if they REALLY haven't been paying their income taxes. And if they haven't, I'm calling the IRS and getting the 10% finder's fee for their own stupidity.

Answer 5

If there was a law declaring you didn’t have to pay taxes then why would people be audited by the IRS for non payment? Ask them that.

Answer 6

Its a federal law written in the constitution, the freaking 16th amendment for gosh sakes. Powers of Congress.

Answer 7

I would tell them that there is no law stating that they can be anally raped in the penal system for not paying there taxes either,butt the probability of it happening to them is pretty high if they don't pay their freaking taxes....

Answer 8

Actually, the original Constitution says that NO income tax shall be levied, so the 16th amendment was passed in 1913 allowing the government to begin to do so. So many people believe that income taxes are unconstitutional and should be stopped. Income taxes are equal to forced labor.

Answer 9

TO GET OUT FROM UNDER TITLE 26 USC SECTION 7203 IS A PAIN IN THE BEHIND. IT IS SO PAINFUL YOU WILL NOT HAVE ANY OF THE FOLLOWING.

A BANK ACCOUNT.
A STATE ID CARD.
A MAILING ADDRESS.
A RIGHT TO VOTE.
A DRIVERS LIC.
A SSN.
A RIGHT TO A MINIMUM WAGE.

ETC. ETC. ETC.

BUT OVER TIME THE MONEY YOU SAVE ON TAXES IS WORTH THE PAIN. YOU HAVE TO DROP OUT OF SOCIETY TO DO IT.

YOU MUST HAVE A TEACHABLE STATE OF MIND.

http://www.outlawslegal.com/InvCont/incon.htm

Answer 10

i'd say you will get your a** audited eventually. what people want to believe and do to justify their own behavior is not what they LAW says. you can try to get out of it for a while, but the FED will get ya...legal or not.......and most of us agree tha it's immoral and and injustedifialbe, but not out of the scope of the fed.

the tax system in the US has gotten WAY out of hand..................