No you’re not. You have no choice. There’s no work around. If self employed, you’ve filled out a W-4. You can say you have 100 dependents and keep that money all year but when it’s time to file, you don’t have proof of those dependents. You will be in to the IRS immediately. Also, the IRS is one entity with the power to just go into your bank account and take what you have. Someone explain how they aren’t paying taxes....
Comments (38)
sorted by:
When I earn enough to pay, I pay exactly what I owe. I generally structure things as a self employed person such that I don't pay penalties, either. I file my paperwork ON PAPER, and the IRS wouldn't get a damned thing from our bank account anyway because we don't keep much in there to begin with, deliberately.
We live on a cash economy.
When I work standard jobs in the past, I paid only what I owed, and as soon as my obligation was met I went exempt the rest of the year. I typically either got an extremely small refund, like under 100.00, or I owed a hundred or so. That got paid in April.
Hubby and I are moving in a few weeks, and have structured our living expenses such that we will be living comfortably by our standards just below the minimum tax bracket. So not paying. When he files for social security, that check will be below the taxable level, so not paying.
In the past when I went through my period of open revolt, I worked under the table for years. This is actually not hard to do, especially if you also barter services with people who are staying out of the system as much as possible. We frequently get things done that way.
But quite simply, the easiest way to avoid the tax thing is to live a simple life. Granted, this really sucks if you choose to live in a high cost area. Or you choose to have debt. But barring that, the simple life is great.
Great, thoughtful response. Very hard to do for the majority of people. Thank you.
Simple living is as easy or hard as you make it really.
What trips most people up when it comes to simple living is they class "wants" as "needs". And, debt.
When you live on an all cash economy, you don't get debt by default. But it does come down to choices. Hubby and I have a lot of experience living below the tax minimum level, but above the "poverty line" most of the time at least lol.
But I also managed to do it decades ago when I was a divorced mom with kids, and my ex didn't pay child support, and I did it then without working under the table. In the same city I am in now in fact. it helps if you have the right mindset, and a clear idea of what constitutes need vs. want for your situation, and a good partner.
God bless you for your sincere responses. This is how all real life and internet conversations should go. Great information!
Well you know it isn't hard. Say you look at the tax code and discover you can earn up to 20K without paying anything but social security. Simple. Learn to live on 19K. In Tucson, and also where we are going, a single person can easily live on 19K a year, plenty of jobs will get you there. Sure, you can't live fancy, but you can live well none the less. Not to mention you are low enough income to get free health care lol. Not that we do, we pay cash for ours. Heck, we are living as a couple on just over that right now. And we have all the needs: housing, good food, internet, phones, vehicles. Plus a few wants now and then.
It gets even easier if you are married and have the classic 2 kids thing going on. Because you can earn a lot more with those deductions. So if you do the math and find you can earn 45 or 50k without paying a dime (and even get tax credits for child care etc), just work to live on several K less. Find the right part of the country and you can enjoy home ownership even at that level.
Sometimes you get a better deal as married people if you file single instead of joint also. But any good tax accountant can tell you very fast how to pay the absolute least taxes, if you pay at all. Some years hubby and I file singly, other years jointly. Whatever works out to paying less is what we do.
Get debt free and cut up the credit cards, and build a long term pantry for food and household and you have far more flexibility as well. having a long term pantry gets you the lowest practical cost for all food and household over time and is good security for when you want or need to tighten the belt. Having one in the past saved me from being homeless--I simply stopped spending any money for 3 months. And you can build one even on minimum wage as a single person if you shop well and wisely, and learn to preserve food long term.
Young people don't learn depression era finances any more, and that is a sad thing. because knowing how to live well on a lot less allows everyone to build wealth over time. Then the trick is keeping that wealth.
Self employed fill out a 940 and a 941, quarterly. W4 is for an employee to give to an employer.
Anyway, at the very least, claiming 1 or 2 extra dependents will only make you break even thereby removing the free loan you’re giving them every year. You won’t get a return, but it’s better to have it in you pocket throughout the year.
Also, you can negotiate with the feds. If you have back taxes that they can prove, let’s talk and have it reduced. Or maybe we can just do a payment plan. Or you can gestapo my shit and I’ll go postal when the thief comes to take my shit.
Don’t be such a pussy. What you’re describing is being a slave out of fear.
I stated “working class” meaning W-4. You have not answered my question either.
Don’t be cute. You pay none and negotiate if they come at you. In the end, you will pay something or just make them kill you in a firefight when they come to steal your shit.
See what I’m saying? Life under the boot of the feds, when your money doesn’t represent you, isn’t acceptable. It’s literally the reason this country was founded.
Die on your feet.
Gtfoh. You are larping at this point.
Wrong. There’s a reason they only go after people with something to lose. They care too much about their lives to fight back.
One way I can think of is the community market. Let us say you are a plumber at a local plumbing company. You spread the word to like minded folk that if they need any work done to call you directly. You arrive at their house, you do the job, then get paid in cold hard cash. Then you don't report that income.
I will not argue this method. Just cant see it being done on a wide scale.
There are plenty of ways to starve the beast, some are just more creative than others....put your thinking cap on & tie it down, you'll soon come up with a work around...
Do what wealthy people do. Set up a trust. I won't spell it out but it is a workaround. Look into it.
Again, I asked a legitimate question, and you’re talking about “all out battle”. If you mean you’ll be fighting a war against the Biden regime, not working and therefore not paying taxes, I guess it makes sense. In the meantime, I’m looking for a current, real world, response.
File exempt and let em come get it
And they WILL come and get it. That doesn’t address my post.
They do not have the budget to deal with 74+ million people filing exempt standing on No Taxation Without Representation
Again, this won’t happen. So what’s your alternative?
Why would it not? Would you not join me? What's your solution?
Doesn’t matter if I’d join you. 74 million wont join you. Sounds great in theory.
Ah, so a doomer.
The will try and get it from certain levels of income. Half the country makes 20K or less. These people aren’t spending more money on agents to try and collect on a few hundred bucks in back taxes.
Besides, if they come for money we ain’t got, you can negotiate or stall or both. Many people go years without paying and then have it washed away if they put up a fight. The taxes are supposed to represent you. If they don’t, it’s theft. Last thing we should do is hand it over freely.
Caught the glowie!! Here, right here!
Don't glowies try to get people to commit crimes such as tax evasion?
How so? If what I’m saying is wrong, rather than a bs one line response, counter the statement with a relevant counterpoint.
Why couldn’t I work as a sole proprietor or under private contract and not file taxes? If I didn’t keep money in a bank account and all of my assets are kept in someone else’s name, in theory, it would work.
In theory, yes. Almost 100% likely at some point the IRS comes calling.
So, you’re wrong.. well, in theory.
No, not really. The IRS would surely figure out that you had put all of your assets in someone else’s name and take them anyway. Also, regardless of what you think, when the IRS comes knocking family and friends will sell you down the river. Stop trying to argue your emotions and just answer my question. The government has made it nearly impossible to not pay taxes as a working class citizen.
I just laid out a way someone COULD evade taxes. You agreed it’s NEARLY impossible, which means it is possible.
I bet your taxes went towards gender studies in Pakistan.
Again, no point made from your side, just nonsense. Good job!