Are US workers are legally required to pay income taxes?

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In the 2006 film America: Freedom to Fascism, several interviews are shown which claim that American workers do not need to pay income tax. Specifically, this clip claims that

There is no law which requires the average American worker (in the
private sector) to pay a direct unapportioned tax on their labor and
compensation, or services.

Is the average US worker legally required to pay income taxes, perhaps in a manner which is indirect or apportioned?

united-states law government taxes opca

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edited 9 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

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• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Have you tried not paying?
  – henning
  4 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
7
down vote

favorite

In the 2006 film America: Freedom to Fascism, several interviews are shown which claim that American workers do not need to pay income tax. Specifically, this clip claims that

There is no law which requires the average American worker (in the
private sector) to pay a direct unapportioned tax on their labor and
compensation, or services.

Is the average US worker legally required to pay income taxes, perhaps in a manner which is indirect or apportioned?

united-states law government taxes opca

share|improve this question

edited 9 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

asked 6 hours ago

Reubend

38626

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Have you tried not paying?
  – henning
  4 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
7
down vote

favorite

up vote
7
down vote

favorite

In the 2006 film America: Freedom to Fascism, several interviews are shown which claim that American workers do not need to pay income tax. Specifically, this clip claims that

There is no law which requires the average American worker (in the
private sector) to pay a direct unapportioned tax on their labor and
compensation, or services.

Is the average US worker legally required to pay income taxes, perhaps in a manner which is indirect or apportioned?

united-states law government taxes opca

share|improve this question

edited 9 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

asked 6 hours ago

Reubend

38626

In the 2006 film America: Freedom to Fascism, several interviews are shown which claim that American workers do not need to pay income tax. Specifically, this clip claims that

There is no law which requires the average American worker (in the
private sector) to pay a direct unapportioned tax on their labor and
compensation, or services.

Is the average US worker legally required to pay income taxes, perhaps in a manner which is indirect or apportioned?

united-states law government taxes opca

united-states law government taxes opca

share|improve this question

edited 9 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

asked 6 hours ago

Reubend

38626

share|improve this question

edited 9 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

asked 6 hours ago

Reubend

38626

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

edited 9 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

edited 9 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

edited 9 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

97.8k30404508

asked 6 hours ago

Reubend

38626

asked 6 hours ago

Reubend

38626

asked 6 hours ago

Reubend

38626

38626

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Have you tried not paying?
  – henning
  4 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Have you tried not paying?
  – henning
  4 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

Have you tried not paying?
– henning
4 mins ago

Have you tried not paying?
– henning
4 mins ago

add a comment | 

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

up vote
32
down vote

The IRS has a section of their website, The Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments dedicated to explaining the flaws of popular incorrect arguments of why taxes don't have to be paid.

Specifically, it says:

The requirement to pay taxes is not voluntary. Section 1 of the Internal Revenue Code clearly imposes a tax on the taxable income of individuals, estates, and trusts, as determined by the tables set forth in that section. [...]

Furthermore, the obligation to pay tax is described in section 6151, which requires taxpayers to submit payment with their tax returns. Failure to pay taxes could subject the non-complying individual to criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment, as well as civil penalties.

They go on citing a number of case laws supporting this point.

Snopes agrees with this:

[I]n a legal sense, neither the obligation to file of tax returns nor to pay taxes owed is voluntary — those requirements are specifically spelled out in Title 26 of the U.S. Code, particularly Section 6151

The NY Times also agrees in their review of the film:

Arguments made in court that the income tax is invalid are so baseless that Congress has authorized fines of $25,000 for anyone who makes them.

The article goes into some more detail on the law, as well as the consequences of violating it.

For more details see also As a US citizen, what law requires me to pay income tax? at law.SE.

Regarding the movie itself, it might not be the best source. To quote Wikipedia:

The film has been criticized for its promotion of conspiracy theories, its copious factual errors, and its repeated misrepresentations of the individuals and views it purports to criticize.

share|improve this answer

edited 6 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

answered 5 hours ago

tim

35.8k12137137

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Isn't it even that this applies to citizens of the US, no matter in what country they work in?
  – PlasmaHH
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @PlasmaHH I'm not familiar with the specific details of that. It seems that the answer is it depends (from what I can tell, you have to file, but depending on the work and the amount earned you may be excempt from paying).
  – tim
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Other resources for refuting tax-avoidance arguments are the venerable Tax Protester FAQ (since 1998!) and Jon Siegel's Income Tax Protestors Page. The latter site even has a page devoted to refuting "Freedom to Fascism".
  – Michael Seifert
  9 mins ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
16
down vote

No it is not true. The Sixteenth Amendment was adopted in 1913, so taxes not apportioned to states are constitutional. US Code 26 Subtitle A is the relevant law.

The quoted text seems to allude to a number of arguments that income tax does not need to be paid. The IRS has a page refuting frivolous tax arguments, and anyone contemplating trying to claim that they don't need to pay income tax should read it first. Jonathan Siegel, Professor of Law at George Washington University Law School, also has a similar collection of tax myths, including a page specifically dedicated to refuting the claims made in America: Freedom to Fascism.

Regarding the quoted text:

• "(in the private sector)": Presumably refers to the contention that only federal employees need pay federal income tax. This is based on a misreading of the law, which states that the term "employee" includes federal employees (my emphasis). Some people think that "includes" means "includes only".




• "Direct unapportioned tax": Presumably this refers to the contention that the Sixteenth Amendment was never properly ratified, or does not authorise federal income tax. No court has ever accepted this argument..




• "Labour or compensation, or services": Presumably this refers to contentions that wages are not "income" because they were received in direct exchange for a thing of equal value (i.e. some work). The courts have never accepted this argument either.

share|improve this answer

edited 3 hours ago

answered 5 hours ago

Paul Johnson

5,63741634

add a comment | 

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
32
down vote

The IRS has a section of their website, The Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments dedicated to explaining the flaws of popular incorrect arguments of why taxes don't have to be paid.

Specifically, it says:

The requirement to pay taxes is not voluntary. Section 1 of the Internal Revenue Code clearly imposes a tax on the taxable income of individuals, estates, and trusts, as determined by the tables set forth in that section. [...]

Furthermore, the obligation to pay tax is described in section 6151, which requires taxpayers to submit payment with their tax returns. Failure to pay taxes could subject the non-complying individual to criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment, as well as civil penalties.

They go on citing a number of case laws supporting this point.

Snopes agrees with this:

[I]n a legal sense, neither the obligation to file of tax returns nor to pay taxes owed is voluntary — those requirements are specifically spelled out in Title 26 of the U.S. Code, particularly Section 6151

The NY Times also agrees in their review of the film:

Arguments made in court that the income tax is invalid are so baseless that Congress has authorized fines of $25,000 for anyone who makes them.

The article goes into some more detail on the law, as well as the consequences of violating it.

For more details see also As a US citizen, what law requires me to pay income tax? at law.SE.

Regarding the movie itself, it might not be the best source. To quote Wikipedia:

The film has been criticized for its promotion of conspiracy theories, its copious factual errors, and its repeated misrepresentations of the individuals and views it purports to criticize.

share|improve this answer

edited 6 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

answered 5 hours ago

tim

35.8k12137137

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Isn't it even that this applies to citizens of the US, no matter in what country they work in?
  – PlasmaHH
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @PlasmaHH I'm not familiar with the specific details of that. It seems that the answer is it depends (from what I can tell, you have to file, but depending on the work and the amount earned you may be excempt from paying).
  – tim
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Other resources for refuting tax-avoidance arguments are the venerable Tax Protester FAQ (since 1998!) and Jon Siegel's Income Tax Protestors Page. The latter site even has a page devoted to refuting "Freedom to Fascism".
  – Michael Seifert
  9 mins ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
32
down vote

The IRS has a section of their website, The Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments dedicated to explaining the flaws of popular incorrect arguments of why taxes don't have to be paid.

Specifically, it says:

The requirement to pay taxes is not voluntary. Section 1 of the Internal Revenue Code clearly imposes a tax on the taxable income of individuals, estates, and trusts, as determined by the tables set forth in that section. [...]

Furthermore, the obligation to pay tax is described in section 6151, which requires taxpayers to submit payment with their tax returns. Failure to pay taxes could subject the non-complying individual to criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment, as well as civil penalties.

They go on citing a number of case laws supporting this point.

Snopes agrees with this:

[I]n a legal sense, neither the obligation to file of tax returns nor to pay taxes owed is voluntary — those requirements are specifically spelled out in Title 26 of the U.S. Code, particularly Section 6151

The NY Times also agrees in their review of the film:

Arguments made in court that the income tax is invalid are so baseless that Congress has authorized fines of $25,000 for anyone who makes them.

The article goes into some more detail on the law, as well as the consequences of violating it.

For more details see also As a US citizen, what law requires me to pay income tax? at law.SE.

Regarding the movie itself, it might not be the best source. To quote Wikipedia:

The film has been criticized for its promotion of conspiracy theories, its copious factual errors, and its repeated misrepresentations of the individuals and views it purports to criticize.

share|improve this answer

edited 6 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

answered 5 hours ago

tim

35.8k12137137

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Isn't it even that this applies to citizens of the US, no matter in what country they work in?
  – PlasmaHH
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @PlasmaHH I'm not familiar with the specific details of that. It seems that the answer is it depends (from what I can tell, you have to file, but depending on the work and the amount earned you may be excempt from paying).
  – tim
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Other resources for refuting tax-avoidance arguments are the venerable Tax Protester FAQ (since 1998!) and Jon Siegel's Income Tax Protestors Page. The latter site even has a page devoted to refuting "Freedom to Fascism".
  – Michael Seifert
  9 mins ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
32
down vote

up vote
32
down vote

The IRS has a section of their website, The Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments dedicated to explaining the flaws of popular incorrect arguments of why taxes don't have to be paid.

Specifically, it says:

The requirement to pay taxes is not voluntary. Section 1 of the Internal Revenue Code clearly imposes a tax on the taxable income of individuals, estates, and trusts, as determined by the tables set forth in that section. [...]

Furthermore, the obligation to pay tax is described in section 6151, which requires taxpayers to submit payment with their tax returns. Failure to pay taxes could subject the non-complying individual to criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment, as well as civil penalties.

They go on citing a number of case laws supporting this point.

Snopes agrees with this:

[I]n a legal sense, neither the obligation to file of tax returns nor to pay taxes owed is voluntary — those requirements are specifically spelled out in Title 26 of the U.S. Code, particularly Section 6151

The NY Times also agrees in their review of the film:

Arguments made in court that the income tax is invalid are so baseless that Congress has authorized fines of $25,000 for anyone who makes them.

The article goes into some more detail on the law, as well as the consequences of violating it.

For more details see also As a US citizen, what law requires me to pay income tax? at law.SE.

Regarding the movie itself, it might not be the best source. To quote Wikipedia:

The film has been criticized for its promotion of conspiracy theories, its copious factual errors, and its repeated misrepresentations of the individuals and views it purports to criticize.

share|improve this answer

edited 6 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

answered 5 hours ago

tim

35.8k12137137

The IRS has a section of their website, The Truth About Frivolous Tax Arguments dedicated to explaining the flaws of popular incorrect arguments of why taxes don't have to be paid.

Specifically, it says:

The requirement to pay taxes is not voluntary. Section 1 of the Internal Revenue Code clearly imposes a tax on the taxable income of individuals, estates, and trusts, as determined by the tables set forth in that section. [...]

Furthermore, the obligation to pay tax is described in section 6151, which requires taxpayers to submit payment with their tax returns. Failure to pay taxes could subject the non-complying individual to criminal penalties, including fines and imprisonment, as well as civil penalties.

They go on citing a number of case laws supporting this point.

Snopes agrees with this:

[I]n a legal sense, neither the obligation to file of tax returns nor to pay taxes owed is voluntary — those requirements are specifically spelled out in Title 26 of the U.S. Code, particularly Section 6151

The NY Times also agrees in their review of the film:

Arguments made in court that the income tax is invalid are so baseless that Congress has authorized fines of $25,000 for anyone who makes them.

The article goes into some more detail on the law, as well as the consequences of violating it.

For more details see also As a US citizen, what law requires me to pay income tax? at law.SE.

Regarding the movie itself, it might not be the best source. To quote Wikipedia:

The film has been criticized for its promotion of conspiracy theories, its copious factual errors, and its repeated misrepresentations of the individuals and views it purports to criticize.

share|improve this answer

edited 6 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

answered 5 hours ago

tim

35.8k12137137

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

edited 6 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

edited 6 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

edited 6 mins ago

Oddthinking♦

97.8k30404508

97.8k30404508

answered 5 hours ago

tim

35.8k12137137

answered 5 hours ago

tim

35.8k12137137

answered 5 hours ago

tim

35.8k12137137

35.8k12137137

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Isn't it even that this applies to citizens of the US, no matter in what country they work in?
  – PlasmaHH
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @PlasmaHH I'm not familiar with the specific details of that. It seems that the answer is it depends (from what I can tell, you have to file, but depending on the work and the amount earned you may be excempt from paying).
  – tim
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Other resources for refuting tax-avoidance arguments are the venerable Tax Protester FAQ (since 1998!) and Jon Siegel's Income Tax Protestors Page. The latter site even has a page devoted to refuting "Freedom to Fascism".
  – Michael Seifert
  9 mins ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Isn't it even that this applies to citizens of the US, no matter in what country they work in?
  – PlasmaHH
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @PlasmaHH I'm not familiar with the specific details of that. It seems that the answer is it depends (from what I can tell, you have to file, but depending on the work and the amount earned you may be excempt from paying).
  – tim
  2 hours ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  1
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  Other resources for refuting tax-avoidance arguments are the venerable Tax Protester FAQ (since 1998!) and Jon Siegel's Income Tax Protestors Page. The latter site even has a page devoted to refuting "Freedom to Fascism".
  – Michael Seifert
  9 mins ago
  
  

  
  
  
  

Isn't it even that this applies to citizens of the US, no matter in what country they work in?
– PlasmaHH
2 hours ago

Isn't it even that this applies to citizens of the US, no matter in what country they work in?
– PlasmaHH
2 hours ago

@PlasmaHH I'm not familiar with the specific details of that. It seems that the answer is it depends (from what I can tell, you have to file, but depending on the work and the amount earned you may be excempt from paying).
– tim
2 hours ago

@PlasmaHH I'm not familiar with the specific details of that. It seems that the answer is it depends (from what I can tell, you have to file, but depending on the work and the amount earned you may be excempt from paying).
– tim
2 hours ago

1

1

Other resources for refuting tax-avoidance arguments are the venerable Tax Protester FAQ (since 1998!) and Jon Siegel's Income Tax Protestors Page. The latter site even has a page devoted to refuting "Freedom to Fascism".
– Michael Seifert
9 mins ago

Other resources for refuting tax-avoidance arguments are the venerable Tax Protester FAQ (since 1998!) and Jon Siegel's Income Tax Protestors Page. The latter site even has a page devoted to refuting "Freedom to Fascism".
– Michael Seifert
9 mins ago

add a comment | 

up vote
16
down vote

No it is not true. The Sixteenth Amendment was adopted in 1913, so taxes not apportioned to states are constitutional. US Code 26 Subtitle A is the relevant law.

The quoted text seems to allude to a number of arguments that income tax does not need to be paid. The IRS has a page refuting frivolous tax arguments, and anyone contemplating trying to claim that they don't need to pay income tax should read it first. Jonathan Siegel, Professor of Law at George Washington University Law School, also has a similar collection of tax myths, including a page specifically dedicated to refuting the claims made in America: Freedom to Fascism.

Regarding the quoted text:

• "(in the private sector)": Presumably refers to the contention that only federal employees need pay federal income tax. This is based on a misreading of the law, which states that the term "employee" includes federal employees (my emphasis). Some people think that "includes" means "includes only".




• "Direct unapportioned tax": Presumably this refers to the contention that the Sixteenth Amendment was never properly ratified, or does not authorise federal income tax. No court has ever accepted this argument..




• "Labour or compensation, or services": Presumably this refers to contentions that wages are not "income" because they were received in direct exchange for a thing of equal value (i.e. some work). The courts have never accepted this argument either.

share|improve this answer

edited 3 hours ago

answered 5 hours ago

Paul Johnson

5,63741634

add a comment | 

up vote
16
down vote

No it is not true. The Sixteenth Amendment was adopted in 1913, so taxes not apportioned to states are constitutional. US Code 26 Subtitle A is the relevant law.

The quoted text seems to allude to a number of arguments that income tax does not need to be paid. The IRS has a page refuting frivolous tax arguments, and anyone contemplating trying to claim that they don't need to pay income tax should read it first. Jonathan Siegel, Professor of Law at George Washington University Law School, also has a similar collection of tax myths, including a page specifically dedicated to refuting the claims made in America: Freedom to Fascism.

Regarding the quoted text:

• "(in the private sector)": Presumably refers to the contention that only federal employees need pay federal income tax. This is based on a misreading of the law, which states that the term "employee" includes federal employees (my emphasis). Some people think that "includes" means "includes only".




• "Direct unapportioned tax": Presumably this refers to the contention that the Sixteenth Amendment was never properly ratified, or does not authorise federal income tax. No court has ever accepted this argument..




• "Labour or compensation, or services": Presumably this refers to contentions that wages are not "income" because they were received in direct exchange for a thing of equal value (i.e. some work). The courts have never accepted this argument either.

share|improve this answer

edited 3 hours ago

answered 5 hours ago

Paul Johnson

5,63741634

add a comment | 

up vote
16
down vote

up vote
16
down vote

No it is not true. The Sixteenth Amendment was adopted in 1913, so taxes not apportioned to states are constitutional. US Code 26 Subtitle A is the relevant law.

The quoted text seems to allude to a number of arguments that income tax does not need to be paid. The IRS has a page refuting frivolous tax arguments, and anyone contemplating trying to claim that they don't need to pay income tax should read it first. Jonathan Siegel, Professor of Law at George Washington University Law School, also has a similar collection of tax myths, including a page specifically dedicated to refuting the claims made in America: Freedom to Fascism.

Regarding the quoted text:

• "(in the private sector)": Presumably refers to the contention that only federal employees need pay federal income tax. This is based on a misreading of the law, which states that the term "employee" includes federal employees (my emphasis). Some people think that "includes" means "includes only".




• "Direct unapportioned tax": Presumably this refers to the contention that the Sixteenth Amendment was never properly ratified, or does not authorise federal income tax. No court has ever accepted this argument..




• "Labour or compensation, or services": Presumably this refers to contentions that wages are not "income" because they were received in direct exchange for a thing of equal value (i.e. some work). The courts have never accepted this argument either.

share|improve this answer

edited 3 hours ago

answered 5 hours ago

Paul Johnson

5,63741634

No it is not true. The Sixteenth Amendment was adopted in 1913, so taxes not apportioned to states are constitutional. US Code 26 Subtitle A is the relevant law.

The quoted text seems to allude to a number of arguments that income tax does not need to be paid. The IRS has a page refuting frivolous tax arguments, and anyone contemplating trying to claim that they don't need to pay income tax should read it first. Jonathan Siegel, Professor of Law at George Washington University Law School, also has a similar collection of tax myths, including a page specifically dedicated to refuting the claims made in America: Freedom to Fascism.

Regarding the quoted text:

• "(in the private sector)": Presumably refers to the contention that only federal employees need pay federal income tax. This is based on a misreading of the law, which states that the term "employee" includes federal employees (my emphasis). Some people think that "includes" means "includes only".




• "Direct unapportioned tax": Presumably this refers to the contention that the Sixteenth Amendment was never properly ratified, or does not authorise federal income tax. No court has ever accepted this argument..




• "Labour or compensation, or services": Presumably this refers to contentions that wages are not "income" because they were received in direct exchange for a thing of equal value (i.e. some work). The courts have never accepted this argument either.

share|improve this answer

edited 3 hours ago

answered 5 hours ago

Paul Johnson

5,63741634

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

edited 3 hours ago

edited 3 hours ago

edited 3 hours ago

answered 5 hours ago

Paul Johnson

5,63741634

answered 5 hours ago

Paul Johnson

5,63741634

answered 5 hours ago

Paul Johnson

5,63741634

5,63741634

add a comment | 

add a comment |