Am I legally required to pay Federal Income Taxes?

Question

I don't understand how the government is entitled to percentages of earned wages before the worker ever gets their check. This sounds A LOT like putting money into a central pot.....a bit like Communism......bottom line, you don't have a choice.

I'm not talking about not paying any taxes....I'm talking about this particular form of taxation.

I can't remember the name of the case, but the Supreme Court ruled that the 16th amendment granted govt. no new power to collect taxes because it was not one of the two specified taxation methods mentioned in the Constitution.

Also, aren't some of these services your describing covered by STATE taxes. I'm not against state taxes because I live in my state and partake in the services of the state. However, the national government spends the money on whatever they want...why should I pay for someone else's fanciful spending if it is offers nothing to me.

AGAIN, I'm not advocating no one pay taxes....

What if we had a National Sales Tax as opposed to a Federal Income Tax?

Answer 1

not if your don't have an income

Answer 2

what do you think?
ever here of Al Capone or the phrase death and taxes? two things you can't avoid.
And its not communism. You obviously don't understand what communism is. We pay taxes for a central gov't to run things so we can live as a society. unless you want to take over paving the roads, national security, infrastructure, public health, education, prisons, law enforcement, sanitation, etc etc. ? All things a modern civilized society needs. these things don't just naturally occur, despite what some people may think.

You can't remember the case? That is because it doesn't exist. A little education. An amendment to the constitution IS the constitution. Once it is ratified, its just as valid as any other part of the constitution. The Supreme Court can't rule the constitution unconstitutional! The very fact it was ratified means it is part of the constitution. nice try though...


Oh, now your argument has morphed into you don't want to pay for things you object to. So this wasn't really about taxes, but you objecting to paying for certain things. Sorry, but thats the way it works. We all pay for things that we may not like. A large chunk of federal taxes does go back to the states. Most states recieve HUGE amounts of federal money for everything from hospitals and education to jails and roads.

You really don't seem to know what you are talking about, so please, quit while you are ahead or cut to the chase where you turn your question into a Bush rant or anti war cause....

Answer 3

Any resident of the United States and American citizens abroad must file an income tax return. If their income is high enough they must pay the federal income tax (and, depending on the state they live in, also a state income tax). The fact that you are employed by a community college is irrelevant.

Answer 4

Yes, you have to pay income taxes, even if you move to the middle of the desert, build your own roads, dig your own well, and never call the police. If you put a gun to someones head and said "work for me or I'll kill you" that would be slavery. Instead, since the government says "Work for me or I'll take away your freedom" for some reason it's OK.

Federal taxes pay for very few things: Social security, Medicare, federal earmark projects, and armed forces.
They do not contribute to police, fire, ambulance, public schools, or streets (with the exception of Interstate Highways).

Answer 5

I have heard many claim they are not bound to pay.....They are wrong.

Communism does not need taxing. As you would have no income there would be nothing to tax. What money you received would be an allowance. Your share of the poverty.

Communism is the equal distribution of Poverty. No matter how hard you work there is no forward progress. No brass ring to go for.

Capitalism is the unequal distribution of wealth. You work hard, you learn skills, you take risks, you get the brass ring. You slack off, do nothing, have no skill, you get what you are worth...very little.

Edit: There is no doubt that Tax code is WAY out of hand. I agree with the National Sales Tax. That takes care of simple income tax. It gets more complicated with capital gains, real estate, automobiles. Small business groups will scream bloody murder claiming it will put them out of business. Bunch of crap but they will complain. An example is gas and diesel expense. A $1.00 increase in cost equals .10 cents a mile. That only adds $300.00 to the cost of 50,000lbs of freight going cross country, yet items are getting doubled using that as an excuse. That $300 spread is .006 cents per pound. The trick is keeping it from being an excuse to jack up prices.

Answer 6

Yes, the income tax is legally required.

The sixteenth Amendment to the US Constitution reads:

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 pretty much covers it.

Answer 7

If you do not want to pay your income taxes via a deduction from your pay check you do not have to pay them in that fashion. You can collect all of the pay coming to you and then write the IRS a check in March when your taxes are due. Most people do not do this and the IRS does not prefer it because the majority of taxpayers would not have the money to pay the taxes due.

Answer 8

It is respectable to work and pay taxes, but I agree somewhat when a majority of the money we pay is used to support illegals (education, healthcare, housing, ect.)

But lets not forget there are many Americans that also fall into this category of being unresponsible for themselves that we tax payers have to support for there whole life.

Billions maybe trillion are spent every year for this useless cause.

Answer 9

There is plenty of places to find the answers you seek. One is the IRC---read about withholding.

Compensation in exchange for labor is not the same as wages---there is no gain--check definition of wages

Income as defined by court cases is required.All that comes in is not liable for tax.

Answer 10

Yes, you are required to pay income tax. I pay my share of the cost of society and you will as well. You don't like it, then stop driving on my highways, stop voting, stop using my postal service, and declare the government no longer obliged to protect your sorry butt.

Unless you're one of those american freeman / posse comitatus types. Then my taxes go to imprisoning you.

Answer 11

If you want to live in a civilized society, then yes, you must pay taxes. If you want to live in a state of anarchy, then good luck to you - please stop using schools, roads, fire protection, police protection, currency, and everything the government provides thanks to tax revenues.

If you are interested in the legal basis for income taxes, please see the link below.