IRS targets four more frivolous arguments against paying taxes

January 14, 2008

The IRS apparently thinks all the attention generated by actor Wesley Snipes’ tax evasion trial (blogged here) makes today prime time to get out the word on frivolous tax claims.

The agency has issued a notice listing four more erroneous tax-avoidance legal positions that taxpayers should not try at home or their accountant’s offices.

They are additions to the IRS’ already large collection of frivolous tax arguments. The newest attempts to not pay your taxes are:

Misinterpretation of the 9th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution regarding objections to military spending.
Erroneous claims that taxes are owed only by persons with a fiduciary relationship to the United States or the IRS.
A nonexistent "Mariner’s Tax Deduction" (or the like) related to invalid deductions for meals.
Certain instances of misuse or excessive use of the section 6421 fuels credit.

Details on each of these can be found in Notice 2008-14.

Be warned. In addition to owing the taxes you tried not to pay, you’ll end up owing penalties and iterest. Bank in 2006, Congress decided to get serious about all these "legal" anti-tax efforts and increased the penalty for frivolous tax returns from $500 to $5,000.

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Tax Season 2026 Continues!

We made it. Tax Day 2025 is finally over. For most of us. When the filing season started on Jan. 26, millions who were expecting refunds filed immediately. Most of us got our returns to the Internal Revenue Service by April 15. But plenty of taxpayers also got extensions. They are looking at an Oct. 15 filing deadline.

Those procrastinating filers aren’t a problem. In fact, the IRS appreciates taxpayers who take time to fill out their 1040 forms correctly. It also is grateful that tax submissions are spread out a bit, especially now that the IRS is a leaner agency. Processing returns is easier when they arrive throughout the year instead of in massive bunches.

But enough about Uncle Sam’s tax collection issues. The focus now is on all y’all who filed for extensions, giving you another six months to complete your return. Since your new mid-October due date will be here before you know it, let’s get started now on meeting it.

The ol’ blog is here to help you finish up your extended Form 1040. You can start with January’s tax tips page, which has links to the rest of the year’s tips by-month collections. You also can peruse various tax categories for more tailored advice by clicking on the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of this (and every) page.

And to make sure you don’t miss your new filing deadline, the count-down clock below will let you know just how much time you to file by Oct. 15. At the latest.e. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

Credits/Deductions

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Politics/Laws

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Comments

Ernesto

18 years ago

Does this mean there will be “Blade IV – Vampires in Jail”?
Seems most tax evaders avoid paying 25% of their income in taxes then spend 25% of their time in jail. Not a good trade.
Mrs. Micah

18 years ago

People who don’t want to pay taxes had also better plan on walking everywhere. Roads are one of the prime examples of how we all benefit from tax dollars. Maybe not everyone uses schools, libraries, social services, etc, but most people use roads somehow.

Comments are closed.

IRS targets four more frivolous arguments against paying taxes

Ernesto

Mrs. Micah