I have always been very open with my opinions on the ridiculous arguments many people use in their attempts to illegally evade their responsibilities for filing tax returns and paying taxes. One of the tricks commonly used by these people is to refuse to file tax returns until someone from the IRS will provide them with specific legal citations of where in the law it requires people to file tax returns and pay taxes. IRS policy in response to these requests is to ignore them and just send the standard demands for tax returns and payment of taxes based on the W-2 and 1099 info it has in its computers.

Many in the tax protestor movement are currently declaring victory with this approach based on this recent case in Memphis, where a FedEx pilot was acquitted of criminal tax evasion charges because IRS didn't answer her questions. While she did dodge the bullet in regard to the most serious criminal charges that would have sent her to prison, she hasn't escaped responsibility to pay the taxes on her income. She will still end up having her paychecks garnished and assets seized and will have to pay at least triple the amount that would have originally been required, after factoring in the compounded interest and penalties that she will still be forced to pay.
- posted by Kerry M. Kerstetter, MBA~CPA~ATP~ATA @ 8/10/2003 11:52:00 AM Send this post: