The Internal Revenue Service has released its annual list of so-called frivolous tax arguments made by those trying to avoid federal taxes.
Among them: Taxes are voluntary. Taxes are unconstitutional. Only foreign income is taxable. Military income doesn’t count. IRS agents don’t carry the proper badges.
The list is intended to “help taxpayers avoid wasting their time and money with frivolous arguments” that could incur penalties, the IRS said.
The Internet has spurred the growth of frivolous tax arguments, IRS spokesman Jesse Weller said.
While some of the nonpayment arguments sound humorous, the IRS and federal courts aren’t amused.
Penalties are stiff, up to $25,000 for taxpayers who file frivolous lawsuits deemed by the courts as groundless or as delaying tactics. The penalty for filing a tax return with frivolous information is $5,000.
Sacramento Bee
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