Why do people pay taxes?

Question

There is no solid proof that people are obligated to pay taxes.

What about the old couple in Maine? Im sure yall have heard of em. They said they'll only pay their 200,000 worth of tax if they bring them proof. Yet they didn't, because they couldn't find it.

Answer 1

In 1913, the Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified. It empowered Congress to tax "incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration." The Internal Revenue Code is today embodied as Title 26 of the United States Code (26 U.S.C. is a lineal descendant of the income tax act passed in 1913, following ratification of the Sixteenth Amendment). While some states do not have an income tax (Nevada), all residents and all citizens of the United States are subject to the federal income tax. Not everyone, however, must file a return. The requirements for filing are found in 26 U.S.C. section 6011
All U.S. Citizens are subject to tax on their "Gross income", which can be generally defined as "all income from whatever source derived;" a more complete definition is found in 26U.S.C. section 61. Also 26 U.S.C. section 6012 defines who must file a tax return.

This link will take you to the Cornell University Law School web site, (don’t panic if they ask for a donation it is not required, the “No Thanks” button will get you to the information

http://www.law.cornell.edu

Play around on the site until you find these codes:
Sixteenth Amendment , 26 U.S.C. § 6011., 26 U.S.C. § 61.
26 U.S.C. section 6012

If you still don't believe look around some more. Pretty soon you will find the part where you go to prison if you don't do it.

Answer 2

There are literally thousands of laws in the US that levy and regulate taxes of numerous types at all levels of government. Only a true fool would claim that there is no proof of that!

The power to lay taxes comes directly from The Constitution in Article 1, Section 8. The powers granted to the government in The Constitution also flow directly to the states. That is the ONLY justification that government at ANY level needs to pass a law that levies a tax.

Addendum: What "old couple in Maine?" You mean that idiot and his dentist wife in NH? They're in custody already. Guess someone found the proof for them, huh?

Answer 3

Wanna bet?

If there is no "solid proof", what is there; rumor and inuendo? That is kind of a bizarre statement that you made.

The proof is right here:

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode26/usc_sup_01_26.html

Title 26 - Internal Revenue Code

The people whom state that there is no law are called Tax Protesters. They have been around as long as the income tax but they have never been victorious in court and gotten out of paying their taxes.
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Edit:

The "couple in Maine" were actually in New Hampshire. Their names are Ed and Elaine Brown and they are currently in prison. The feds took them in to custody a couple of months ago. Each of them is looking at 5 years + in the pen plus having to pay all of the back taxes and penalties and interest.

Answer 4

Congratulations, you are the first person from the fruitcake fringe to post today.

If the fact that they system has been in place and functioning and passing muster with the supreme court for over 80 years isn't enough to convince you they you are suffering from oxygen deprivation.

Try to think logically: Taxes are imposed and payment by definition is obligatory. Arguing that you don't have to pay if you don't want to simply makes no sense.

Answer 5

There is something in the constitution that has been used to argue that the income tax is unconstitutional. That argument does not hold water when a tax-dodger winds up in court.

Even if the constitution has language that supports that arguement, no court will uphold that so-called constitutional provision.

Answer 6

Only that if they don't, they go to federal prison for tax evasion.