Congress just increased the penalty amount for frivolous tax returns to $5,000, ten times the previous maximum. In addition to the penalty,taxpayers may be subject to civil penalties of 20 or 75 percent of the underpaid tax. Those who pursue frivolous tax cases in court may face an additional penalty of up to $25,000. The IRS identified dozens of frivolous positions that taxpayers should avoid when filing their tax returns, specifically those positions which have no basis for validity in federal court. Popular frivolous positions include these arguments:
- Wages are not taxable income.
- Filing returns and paying taxes are voluntary.
- The IRS must provide taxpayers with a summary record of assessment, Form 23C, before overdue taxes may be collected.
- Income is not subject to taxation when the taxpayer declares that he is not a United States citizen because he is a citizen of an individual State or claims he is not a person as defined by the Internal Revenue Code.
According to IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson. "The truth about these frivolous arguments is simple: They don't work." Just remember, think twice before you mess with the IRS. snipped-for-privacy@trexglobal.com
Moderator: $25,000 does not seem like enough. In my rarely humble opinion, nitwits who raise these spurious arguments should spent a few Christmases with some violent felons at the local federal slammer.