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Tax Evasion Paper

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The Extended Arm of the United States Government in its Battle against Tax Evaders
Professor: Kenneth Lavery
Submitted By: Deanne Patterson
Week 6: July 31, 2011

Taxes are a major contributor of the American economy. The tax system in the United States depends on voluntary compliance, which means that each citizen is responsible for filing a tax return when required and for determining and paying the correct amount of tax”. (Albrect, Albrect, Albrect & Albrect and Zimbelman). When individuals under report, exaggerate deductions, and hide money in off shore accounts, this is clearly misrepresentation of their income to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and is deemed tax evasion. The term “tax evasion” is defined as using illegal …show more content…

The Interpretation of the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States continues to present many arguments as to the legality of income taxes in America and Globally. This student believes that the interpretation of the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States continues to present many arguments concerning the legality of the American income tax system. When the Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified (February 3, 1913) giving Congress the power "to lay and collect taxes on incomes", citizens began arguing that it was not properly ratified and income taxes are illegal. Citizens continue to raise such arguments in spite of the fact that they have no basis in law and the courts have repeatedly rejected their arguments as frivolous. Promoters and their followers have long employed frivolous arguments concerning the legality of the income tax as pretexts to enrich themselves or evade their taxes. Their motivation is usually monetary. Anti-taxation groups used different arguments to gain followers, they all share one thing in common; they received substantial sentences in a federal prison for their activities. Their followers paid a steep price for following bad advice. Some were prosecuted, many more were involved in years of litigation and ultimately had to pay all taxes owed along with penalties and

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