Do you really have to pay income taxes?

Question

Is there a law? Is it legal or constitutional? What happens if you don't pay?

Answer 1

If you earned more than a certain amount, yes you have to pay income taxes.

The Internal Revenue Code, duly passed by Congress and signed into law by a President. It is codified in Title 26 of the U.S. Code.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/uscode26/usc_sup_01_26.html

Is it legal? Yes, it is in the U.S. Statutes. Is it Constitutional? Yes, and ALWAYS HAS BEEN. Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution states, "The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes...". The Constitution also says that DIRECT taxes should be apportioned, but in a Constitutional sense, income taxes are INDIRECT. In either case, the 16th amendment states, "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." That removes the apportionment requirement for income taxes whether they are considered direct or indirect.

If you don't pay and the IRS decides to do something about it, there are various steps the IRS will take. First, they will send several letters to your address. If you don't respond to those letters and either refute what they determine you owe or pay the amount due, they will then proceed to either levy your wages or place liens on your property. It is even possible that they will file criminal charges against you. If the IRS is successful in the criminal case, you can expect to spend about 12 to 60 months in prison. After your prison term is over, you will still owe the tax.

If, by chance, you make what the IRS considers a "frivolous" argument or return, you can be charged up to $5,000 per incident. It used to be only $500 per incident, but it was increased this year to $5,000.
http://www.irs.gov/taxpros/article/0,,id=159853,00.html

Answer 2

Yes, if your income exceeds the filing requirement amount you are required to file. If you have any taxable income (after exemptions, adjustments & deductions) then you are required to pay.

The law is Title 26 of the US Code. Google it for plenty of links to it.

It is both legal and Constitutional. There's no way that the government could levy it if it were not legal.

If you don't pay, your debt will climb astronomically as penalties and interest are added on. Eventually you risk confiscation of your assets, attachment of your pay and even criminal prosecution for failure to file and/or pay.

Answer 3

Yes, you do.

This has been upheld by the Tax Courts. People try to argue that the 16th Amendment wasn't properly ratified but it is a very weak argument.

Answer 4

Why don't you not pay any income taxes and tell us what happens when you get caught.

Answer 5

In the United States, yes. Evading federal income tax is a federal crime. For more info:

http://www.irs.gov
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_tax_in_the_United_States

Answer 6

if you meet the criteria, which is earned a certain level of income, yes, you do have to pay. if you don't, you could go to jail or have your wages garnisheed til your debt is paid off.

Answer 7

You go to jail, REALLY. It is called Tax Evasion.

Answer 8

you go to jail and get big fines - don't even try that stupid argument - no one has ever won it.