IRS vs GestapoFollow

It takes a more than a village to raise an lolgaxe.

The IRS might not be killing actual people yet, but they certainly are doing a fine job of strangling businesses and individuals financially. If that doesn't meet the standard of physically killing them, it comes darn close for what it attains in the end.

Totem

It is not the issue of the tax rate, but how the IRS chooses to aggressively pursue those who it deems viable prey. The temptation to use it as a goad to produce a desired response-- or lack thereof --by targetted individuals and companies is the danger of such an organization with little oversight or citizen control.

Totem

I think his issue is more with the zeal, gusto, and barely concealed glee with which they pursue solvent tax evaders.

No, my issue with the IRS is the unevenhandedness of their zeal, enthusiasm, and glee in prosecuting various people and companies due to the vagaries of the politics involved and the heavy governmental hand that steers them. Also, when the agents of said agency that is charged with keeping and enforcing the tax code does not fully understand the rules they are responsible to enforce, there is a disconnect which is inherently dangerous to the tax paying citizenry.

My solution? Change Tax Day from April 15 to the second Monday in November and we will see a radical improvement of our tax system-- literally overnight. There'll either be no more IRS or the Constitution will be altered to place the states in charge of revenue gathering based on population-- the way it was intended prior to the institution of the Federal tax system. Either way, politicians will be less inclined to blow your cash willy-nilly on stuff you'd disapprove of but don't hear about because it is buried in some transportation bill or something.

Totem

No, people would just blow it on Christmas presents instead.

NPR was actually discussing how "robust" the US is in trying to prevent tax evasion.

But then they also pointed out how ridiculously easy it was to open up a shell company, both onshore and offshore. They created one in Delaware and it was made in one day. For the off-shore, they created one in Latvia, which managed the actual company out of Beliz, but kept all the bank accounts in Switzerland. The off-shore shell company was set up in about a week. The Latvian management group even said they could create a fake board of directors if the shell company's specific "industry" required it.

And, as NPR said, it was all perfectly legal.

No, I am scrupulously honest when paying taxes. By working outside the country I am subject to higher scrutiny by the IRS so I engaged a fine taxlawyer/accountant who footnotes everything we itemize with the tax law that applies for the reviewing agent to see. Due to that precation, I have never been audited or penalized. On the other hand, a former coworker back when I worked in Africa neglected to pay into SS (and trumpeted his tax savvy to the rest of us dullards) and just got hit by the IRS for $22,000 in back payments and penalties. While I know of ways to go off the grid, it'd be a hassle and the upside is minimal for the difficulty in conducting normal daily life-- not to mention wrong --so Mrs. Totem and I choose to do our part and attempt to keep our country solvent to the tune of 39% of my income. It is very painful. So much so that we are seriously considering moving from Cal to a tax free state just for the 10% pay increase.

Totem