Why do people think income tax is ok?

[quone17]

I believe that some part of what I've earned over the course of my life is due to the government being there to protect property rights and safety.  Also some of the money I've made is due to circumstances beyond the control of some poor, sick people etc.  So I don't have a problem giving something to help the less fortunate.  However a line does need to be drawn somewhere.

[Mike Christ]

There are literally an unlimited number of things that may or may not happen. That would depend on personal circumstances and situations/scenarios.

Let's try this from another approach:

tax  (tæks)
 
— n
1.   a compulsory financial contribution

compel  (kəmˈpɛl)
 
— vb
1.   to cause (someone) by force (to be or do something)
2.   to obtain by force; exact: to compel obedience
3.   to overpower or subdue

force  (fɔːs)
 
— n
2.   exertion or the use of exertion against a person or thing that resists; coercion

co·er·cion  [koh-ur-shuhn]
noun
1.
the act of coercing; use of force or intimidation to obtain compliance.

com·pli·ance  [kuhm-plahy-uhns]
noun
1.
the act of conforming, acquiescing, or yielding.

If you're still having trouble figuring out what happens when you don't pay taxes, I kindly ask that you step out of candy land and try once more.

[guybrushthreepwood]

There are literally an unlimited number of things that may or may not happen. That would depend on personal circumstances and situations/scenarios.

Let's try this from another approach:

tax  (tæks)
 
— n
1.   a compulsory financial contribution

compel  (kəmˈpɛl)
 
— vb
1.   to cause (someone) by force (to be or do something)
2.   to obtain by force; exact: to compel obedience
3.   to overpower or subdue

force  (fɔːs)
 
— n
2.   exertion or the use of exertion against a person or thing that resists; coercion

co·er·cion  [koh-ur-shuhn]
noun
1.
the act of coercing; use of force or intimidation to obtain compliance.

com·pli·ance  [kuhm-plahy-uhns]
noun
1.
the act of conforming, acquiescing, or yielding.

If you're still having trouble figuring out what happens when you don't pay taxes, I kindly ask that you step out of candy land and try once more.

I said nobody is forcing you to pay taxes and they're not regardless of the definitions you provide. If you don't want to pay taxes you can either A) Not work, b) Earn under the tax threshold, C) Move to somewhere that doesn't require taxes) D) or don't get caught not paying taxes.

[shawshankinmate37927]

I said nobody is forcing you to pay taxes and they're not regardless of the definitions you provide. If you don't want to pay taxes you can either A) Not work, b) Earn under the tax threshold, C) Move to somewhere that doesn't require taxes) D) or don't get caught not paying taxes.

Items A), B), and C) aren't valid examples because generally there is no tax imposed on you in these situations and therefore no tax is due.  Item D) implies that a tax is due but isn't being imposed on you because the would be imposer doesn't realize that a tax is due.  What about when a tax is due and is being imposed on you?  What happens if you simply refuse to pay it?

[guybrushthreepwood]

I said nobody is forcing you to pay taxes and they're not regardless of the definitions you provide. If you don't want to pay taxes you can either A) Not work, b) Earn under the tax threshold, C) Move to somewhere that doesn't require taxes) D) or don't get caught not paying taxes.

Items A), B), and C) aren't valid examples because generally there is no tax imposed on you in these situations and therefore no tax is due.  Item D) implies that a tax is due but isn't being imposed on you because the would be imposer doesn't realize that a tax is due.  What about when a tax is due and is being imposed on you?  What happens if you simply refuse to pay it?

Then yours isn't a valid example either. Name me one place that sends out the police to lock you up for not paying the taxes you don't owe? If you owe a tax then you owe a tax. Nobody is forcing you into a position where you owe any taxes in the first place. You make that decision yourself.

And D) Then it's not being forced or enforced is it?

[fdlazzari]

People has been brainwashed with this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00u6qUelp6c

No tax is good!

[shawshankinmate37927]

I said nobody is forcing you to pay taxes and they're not regardless of the definitions you provide. If you don't want to pay taxes you can either A) Not work, b) Earn under the tax threshold, C) Move to somewhere that doesn't require taxes) D) or don't get caught not paying taxes.

Items A), B), and C) aren't valid examples because generally there is no tax imposed on you in these situations and therefore no tax is due.  Item D) implies that a tax is due but isn't being imposed on you because the would be imposer doesn't realize that a tax is due.  What about when a tax is due and is being imposed on you?  What happens if you simply refuse to pay it?

Then yours isn't a valid example either. Name me one place that sends out the police to lock you up for not paying the taxes you don't owe? If you owe a tax then you owe a tax. Nobody is forcing you into a position where you owe any taxes in the first place. You make that decision yourself.

And D) Then it's not being forced or enforced is it?

I wasn't providing an example.  I was asking a question.  The question is about taxes that are owed and being imposed on you.  The question has nothing to do with taxes that aren't owed, because a tax that isn't owed, isn't a tax.  (If someone sends me a bill that says I don't owe them anything, then it isn't really a bill.)  Those first three examples you provide are ways of avoiding taxes, which is not the same as refusing to pay taxes that are owed and being imposed on you.  In this situation, if you refuse to pay, people with guns will eventually be sent out to lock you up.

[Schleicher]

In this situation, if you refuse to pay, people with guns will eventually be sent out to lock you up.

I don't know what usually happens in the USA, but here your bank account would suddenly be empty.
Refusing to pay is probably not the same as tax evasion.

[Kiki112]

because you make funds for your govermant to build but lately it's just to fund them so they can steal more, altough it was a good idea

[guybrushthreepwood]

I said nobody is forcing you to pay taxes and they're not regardless of the definitions you provide. If you don't want to pay taxes you can either A) Not work, b) Earn under the tax threshold, C) Move to somewhere that doesn't require taxes) D) or don't get caught not paying taxes.

Items A), B), and C) aren't valid examples because generally there is no tax imposed on you in these situations and therefore no tax is due.  Item D) implies that a tax is due but isn't being imposed on you because the would be imposer doesn't realize that a tax is due.  What about when a tax is due and is being imposed on you?  What happens if you simply refuse to pay it?

Then yours isn't a valid example either. Name me one place that sends out the police to lock you up for not paying the taxes you don't owe? If you owe a tax then you owe a tax. Nobody is forcing you into a position where you owe any taxes in the first place. You make that decision yourself.

And D) Then it's not being forced or enforced is it?

I wasn't providing an example.  I was asking a question.  The question is about taxes that are owed and being imposed on you.  The question has nothing to do with taxes that aren't owed, because a tax that isn't owed, isn't a tax.  (If someone sends me a bill that says I don't owe them anything, then it isn't really a bill.)  Those first three examples you provide are ways of avoiding taxes, which is not the same as refusing to pay taxes that are owed and being imposed on you.  In this situation, if you refuse to pay, people with guns will eventually be sent out to lock you up.

You're (trying) to give me examples of where I'm wrong even though you are wrong and are not getting this at all. Not everyone lives in the US so not all police are going to come after you with guns and arrest you for either crimes you have or haven’t committed, but here's a fact: It is not a mandatory requirement nor is anybody forced to pay taxes. So why would any taxes be owed in the first place if it's not mandatory that anybody pays them? No police will come after you if you get yourself into a situation where you don't need to pay taxes. If you get yourself into a situation where you need or should be paying taxes, then yes, you might have a problem, but nobody forced you into either of those situations - You choose that yourself. You can avoid paying any taxes at all in several ways legally and without the threat of force because you owe nothing to anyone, and I've given you examples of how do to do this legally, yet you still don't get it because you're stubbornly operating under this belief that governments are forcing you to pay any taxes at all. If you do not understand this then you do not understand it and there's no point trying to continue your argument. If somebody owes someone money then they owe them money and that person or entity may then use force to get it back, but nobody forced them to loan the money or get into a situation where they owed any money in the first place, and nobody is forcing you or anybody else to get into a situation where you have to pay or owe taxes. You can choose to pay taxes or you can choose not to get into a situation where they are required, so there is no threat of force nor are you being forced to pay them if you do not wish because you owe nothing and have chosen to not pay tax. No crime has been committed so there will be no police with guns coming to arrest you, so you are not forced to pay tax.

tl;dr You don't have to pay tax.

[Kouye]

You're (trying) to give me examples of where I'm wrong even though you are wrong and are not getting this at all. Not everyone lives in the US so not all police are going to come after you with guns and arrest you for either crimes you have or haven’t committed, but here's a fact: It is not a mandatory requirement nor is anybody forced to pay taxes. So why would any taxes be owed in the first place if it's not mandatory that anybody pays them? No police will come after you if you get yourself into a situation where you don't need to pay taxes. If you get yourself into a situation where you need or should be paying taxes, then yes, you might have a problem, but nobody forced you into either of those situations - You choose that yourself. You can avoid paying any taxes at all in several ways legally and without the threat of force because you owe nothing to anyone, and I've given you examples of how do to do this legally, yet you still don't get it because you're stubbornly operating under this belief that governments are forcing you to pay any taxes at all. If you do not understand this then you do not understand it and there's no point trying to continue your argument. If somebody owes someone money then they owe them money and that person or entity may then use force to get it back, but nobody forced them to loan the money or get into a situation where they owed any money in the first place, and nobody is forcing you or anybody else to get into a situation where you have to pay or owe taxes. You can choose to pay taxes or you can choose not to get into a situation where they are required, so there is no threat of force nor are you being forced to pay them if you do not wish because you owe nothing and have chosen to not pay tax. No crime has been committed so there will be no police with guns coming to arrest you, so you are not forced to pay tax.

tl;dr You don't have to pay tax.

Calm down!

Taxes are the best way we could come up today to "share" the burden of services such as roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, firemen, space exploration, etc.
And it was initially good thinking.

Problem is that it's been extended to "weapons development, extensive spying, government think tanks, government families income source", etc. All this being progressively imposed to tax payers without any easy retaliation.

This time is over soon. Cheer up.

[countryfree]

This is what happens when you don't pay tax, in the U.K. in 2014.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2539214/Woman-living-TENT-seven-year-row-council-tax-bill-thought-exempt-paying.html

[Kenshin]

I think all tax are wrong. But what can we do? 

[Kouye]

I think all tax are wrong. But what can we do? 

Crowdfund.

[quone17]

In the US the first question is how long it would take the authorities to figure out you haven't been paying taxes. I feel like I hear stories all the time about people getting away with not paying taxes for ages. But then people make a big deal about it usually and draw attention to themselves which forces the authorities' hand.

[Ekaros]

This is what happens when you don't pay tax, in the U.K. in 2014.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2539214/Woman-living-TENT-seven-year-row-council-tax-bill-thought-exempt-paying.html

Don't fight in courts if you can't pay the legal fees, is my learning from that case...

[shawshankinmate37927]

I don't know what usually happens in the USA, but here your bank account would suddenly be empty.
Refusing to pay is probably not the same as tax evasion.

In the USA, they'll empty your bank account and you'll end up in a prison cell, like Irwin Schiff.

[Elwar]

tl;dr You don't have to pay tax.

In the US this is no longer true. You are taxed just for being alive.

The US Supreme court has deemed ObamaCare a tax.

But the OP question was "why do people think income tax is ok?".

Not, "why do people think not being taxed if you work within certain criteria are ok?".

As for your suggestion, I have chosen not to pay the income tax using both the "make less than the minimum" and "leave the country" options.

But that does not answer the question of why being forced to give up money just because you and your employer/customer have come to a mutually agreed upon exchange of goods/services is ok.

The answer you probably have on the tip of your tongue is that it is not ok to force someone to do something against their will.

[shawshankinmate37927]

You're (trying) to give me examples of where I'm wrong even though you are wrong and are not getting this at all. Not everyone lives in the US so not all police are going to come after you with guns and arrest you for either crimes you have or haven’t committed, but here's a fact: It is not a mandatory requirement nor is anybody forced to pay taxes. So why would any taxes be owed in the first place if it's not mandatory that anybody pays them? No police will come after you if you get yourself into a situation where you don't need to pay taxes. If you get yourself into a situation where you need or should be paying taxes, then yes, you might have a problem, but nobody forced you into either of those situations - You choose that yourself. You can avoid paying any taxes at all in several ways legally and without the threat of force because you owe nothing to anyone, and I've given you examples of how do to do this legally, yet you still don't get it because you're stubbornly operating under this belief that governments are forcing you to pay any taxes at all. If you do not understand this then you do not understand it and there's no point trying to continue your argument. If somebody owes someone money then they owe them money and that person or entity may then use force to get it back, but nobody forced them to loan the money or get into a situation where they owed any money in the first place, and nobody is forcing you or anybody else to get into a situation where you have to pay or owe taxes. You can choose to pay taxes or you can choose not to get into a situation where they are required, so there is no threat of force nor are you being forced to pay them if you do not wish because you owe nothing and have chosen to not pay tax. No crime has been committed so there will be no police with guns coming to arrest you, so you are not forced to pay tax.

tl;dr You don't have to pay tax.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to confuse you, but you kept answering a question that I wasn't asking.  I was just clarifying a simple, straight-forward question.  I was asking about not paying taxes when a tax obligation has been incurred and the taxer is aware that you have incurred a tax obligation.  Of course you can avoid incurring a tax obligation, or take measures to prevent the taxer from realizing that a tax obligation has been incurred, but that isn't the same as refusing to pay a tax.

[guybrushthreepwood]

Calm down!

Taxes are the best way we could come up today to "share" the burden of services such as roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, firemen, space exploration, etc.
And it was initially good thinking.

Problem is that it's been extended to "weapons development, extensive spying, government think tanks, government families income source", etc. All this being progressively imposed to tax payers without any easy retaliation.

This time is over soon. Cheer up.

I am calm and agree with all the above.

I think all tax are wrong. But what can we do? 

Crowdfund.

We already do crowdfund; it's called paying taxes.

In the US the first question is how long it would take the authorities to figure out you haven't been paying taxes. I feel like I hear stories all the time about people getting away with not paying taxes for ages. But then people make a big deal about it usually and draw attention to themselves which forces the authorities' hand.

It's very easy to get away with it. Most people probably diddle their taxes in some way or another. The vast majority of people don't get caught, but when you do they'll make a fuss about it. They don't even have the resources to go after everyone, so they pick the big blatant targets and go after stupid celebrities to get free media propaganda hits so you scare yourself into believing you must pay them. If you're smart or want to get away with not paying or avoiding taxes whether illegally or legally you can and people do.

tl;dr You don't have to pay tax.

Sorry, I wasn't trying to confuse you, but you kept answering a question that I wasn't asking.  I was just clarifying a simple, straight-forward question.  I was asking about not paying taxes when a tax obligation has been incurred and the taxer is aware that you have incurred a tax obligation.  Of course you can avoid incurring a tax obligation, or take measures to prevent the taxer from realizing that a tax obligation has been incurred, but that isn't the same as refusing to pay a tax.

You didn't confuse me, but nice try. And why were you asking such a ridiculously stupid question? That's like saying the government is forcing you to not commit murder, yet they are because they'll come and arrest you with guns when you’ve committed the crime of murder. Idiotic proposition.