Great post Pollyanna! Been following Banister for a long time. He's right. The problem today is this little thing called "lawfare". I've seen it in action with a couple friends. Lawfare doesn't care who's right or wrong. Ask Trump. Or Gen Flynn. I do agree that with all the fraud being ALLOWED, actually ENCOURAGED, to continue (probably well into the trillions), people are starting to look at this issue differently. Great post!
Kind of a 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours' moment, in grand scale, simultaneously. A highly interesting proposition. Lots of people have been churning this for decades. The 456 hospices & 397 Daycares, all in a single tiny apartment in (insert blue city of choice here__________), might just provide the juice that gets the ball rolling.
The 16th amendment allows the government to levy the income tax however the amendment doesn't specifically give the government the means to force the citizens to pay it. Basically, tax compliance is voluntary. IRS's job is to encourage voluntary compliance by using penalties and legal battles. Choose your battles wisely, it won't be cheap.
That's because if it specifically gave them power to enforce, it would violate the rest of the Constitution, so they are very sneaky and nefarious about how they use lawfare, etc and go about gaining compliance without statutorily requiring it. You against government, they will drain every ounce of blood out of you and do it using your taxes and everyone else's.
Russell, you are exactly correct, the government will use the power of law enforcement to put you in prison and keep everyone toeing their bullshit line.
It is a great post from Jenna, and we all need to coalesce and figure out how to fight back.
Guess what else you shouldn't be paying? Property taxes? If you are living in your home, the place where you eat, sleep, make babies, watch the lying media but you do no business out of that home, then you are not to pay a property tax. Let that sink in. I live in my home which I am buying, the county taxes me over $4g's a year. I operate no business out of my home, therefore they cannot tax me on it, yet they do... and why? Lawfare. Taxation was always only supposed to be through businesses and businesses pass that tax on to those who buy from the business, period. But because everyone has been told they will be locked up if they don't pay their property tax and because our deceitful, despicable government uses the power of law enforcement to lock us up, everyone simply toes the line because not enough of us are willing to say HELL NO, we are not paying your damn unconstitutional tax.
People who rent don't pay taxes, the person they rent from pays taxes because it is a business. This is one of many reasons they dont want you to own a home, your own property.
Let me add one other thing. they dont give a f*** about the Constitution, in fact they write laws to specifically subvert it. It's why we have the 2nd Amendment. We should use it.
If Americans truly understood their Constitutional power over government this kind of theft would not happen but it is precisely why we have a public indoctrination system... err education system... to keep us uninformed but severely indoctrinated.
The one year we were a day late paying our real estate taxes the county immediately put our home up for auction. That was the most stressful week of my life. We don’t have the means to fight that in court, nor the means to stop the auction. We had the money to pay but were late. We were able to stop the sale.
Only someone wealthy can fight any of this. The rest of us lose everything if we try.
If I don’t pay my property taxes they post my property for sale and sell it to someone else though. I just had that happen because I don’t pay taxes (disabled), but I bought a small adjacent lot of property…that doesn’t fit under my ‘you don’t have to pay taxes because your disabled’ and they listed that property as up for auction due to nonpayment of taxes. My ex told me he was going to buy it just to screw with me. I went & paid my taxes ASAP because he’s my ex for a reason…I don’t need him next door.
Did Congress (?) ever go through with hiring the additional 80,000 IRS agents and *arming* them? We continue to pay our taxes because we don’t have the $$$ to fight the lawsuits.
Brilliantly written (as usual) Jenna and thought provoking
See they cemented it in when they started having employers withhold income taxes. So for most people they couldn’t stop paying if they wanted to. (I’m sure they want to). If we could get a movement to jackhammer the employer withholding rule or whatever it is, then we could do some serious rebellion. Let’s say we got enough folks to not pay starting on a certain day. They can’t threaten everyone. Then we’d get some real action from our reps (maybe?).
Rush Limbaugh used to say that if rather than having our taxes withheld from our paychecks, we had to write a check to the federal government for the amount (Or send it by Zelle now), there would be a tax rebellion.
Yes. When our employers take it out, we don't have much choice. And filling out a W2 is required upon hire. I wonder what an employer would do if we refused to fill one out?
It's not the legality / illegality aspect of it that concerns me. It's the goon squad that enforces the "rules" that worry me. These people take perverse pleasure in persecuting other people.
Ive been working in an accounting office since 2013. The stuff I see…..😳 hardworking people owe g ridiculous taxes while out-of-work mom of four gets $20,000 tax return. The system is soooo s reward up. It’s past time for We The People to stop complying with the lunacy
Back in 2006 I worked with a single mom of 2…same baby daddy, mind you…who was elated that she was getting back more than she paid in on her income taxes. I was like, “there’s absolutely no way that can be!” Long story short, I was hella shocked to find out that was in fact true. And not only for her, but for the untold # of others reaping the same benefits…i.e. stolen $. I wanted to slap that smile right off her face every time she boasted about it. But I refrained.
Good morning. I've never heard the "shampoo" one, but of course I don't move in your societal circles. But between the IRS and state properties taxes I often do feel like we're being robbed, or pilfered, or something. I've "owned" my home for years, but let's just see what happens if I stopped paying properly taxes. Feels more like rent. And don't get me started on school taxes 🙄
Look up "no poo" (no joke). It's a whole THING. People swear that commercial shampoo strips natural oils from your scalp, which then overcompensates by producing more oil, which we then need to remove with more shampoo... I mean, it makes sense!
Ooooooo .... That's what my Hair Specialist has been talking about. Yeah she's nuts (seriously) and French Canadian. (but claims she doesn't participate in that French shaving revolt thing).
My niece is a Hair Specialist and she is bonkers. She also offers to color my hair for free. I tell her no thank you, I love my grey. Grey is the new purple.
You don’t actually have to go no poo. If you gradually increase the number of days between washings, the feedback loop will take care of itself. Some people missed the point of no poo (which originally was water only) and washed their hair with things like baking soda and vinegar but continued to wash their hair every day. Or they would buy expensive “cleansing conditioners”, (basically shampoo with better marketing), and claim they were no poo. Anyway, to get your hair to produce less oil, you just wash it less frequently. You don’t have to use anything special.
Interesting! I've always been a shampoo minimalist (I just don't get oily scalp, ever, so why would I go to the trouble of washing/drying/styling EVERY DAY? I do it twice a week, max--AND YES I STILL SHOWER DAILY) so I guess I'm ahead of the curve! :)
I understood the vinegar rinse to be a one time thing to strip all the sulfates from your hair from years of shampoo use. After that first time, it wasn't needed.
Right. There is even a lawsuit against a shampoo manufacturer claiming the shampoo causes hair loss. The hair loss thing doesn't make sense because once your hair is gone you have no need for shampoo. Shampoo companies putting themselves out of business?
I lived all over the country in my 20s and 30s. Just an observation. Government Services were worse in high tax states. Roads were worse, etc. Politicians should not be allowed to decide what they get paid and they shouldn’t be allowed to put the cost of their incompetence on the people. But everywhere they do.
Here in my town (in the city limits) the park and recreation district taxes are higher than school taxes. Add in property taxes and the number is huge.
We’re in the county and ‘just’ pay property and school taxes, about $5k a year only because our home is valued lower because we bought it 21 years ago. If we sell… oh don’t get me started. We literally can’t afford to downsize due to high prices, and don’t forget capital gains if we move to a more affordable area.
It's INSANITY! I have an empty nester friend who wanted to downsize his huge house and move into a smaller but perfectly situated condo downtown... even though it was nearly an even swap, since he's owned his house forever and property taxes are based there on purchase price, not value, it was going to cost him more than $20K/year for the privilege of downsizing! So dumb. I hate the IRS.
Exactly!! Same here. If we downsize and stay here we’d be in the same boat. So we stay in our older home replacing things like our furnace and heatpump, and scraping a previous exterior painting mistake, and repainting. It never ends! Lol.
I feel for your friend, here in Oregon single people are especially brutalized tax wise. Sounds like he’s single…
You probably already know this, but if married filing jointly you don’t have to pay capital gains on the first $500,000 of gains (at least for federal tax purposes).
There used to be a one time exclusion if you were 55+, but they got rid of that quite a few years ago so now the only exclusion is the $500k. Something else to consider is that you can increase your cost in the house by adding major home improvements (not maintenance expenses) such as any remodeling, roof replacement, adding a deck or sprinkler system. Just something to keep in mind to possibly reduce your taxes.
They took the deduction away, but if you pull a permit you will be reassessed and definitely wind up paying more. And most counties expect you to get a permit just to replace a toilet. As a homeowner and former builder, I have never pulled a permit for any of my home improvements for that very reason. You're not going to get away with that for something like an addition though.
And as if the taxes were not enough, they've created a system where many of us feel compelled to hire professional help just to get it right.
I'm old enough to remember Money Magazine. One annual feature used to be sending identical sets of documents to 40 or so CPAs, and asking them to complete a tax return. The incredible thing is that NEVER--NOT ONCE--did they ever get two of their highly trained CPAs to reach the same conclusion about what was owed or due as a refund. How maddening is that?
I remember that. Nobody actually knows what the regulations are or how they work. The tax code of regulations is huge. Try reading it, it takes you in circles.
As a Libertarian, I’m supposed to say “Taxation is Theft” and on some level, I really believe that but my favorite Libertarians say “Taxation is Extortion”.
And as a Jenna fan, I gotta say this is extra bad ass. 🙌😘❤️🤬🍑
(What a perfect day to get back to reading Substack! 😘)
Wouldn’t it be great if every American boycotted paying their taxes this year? And use Joe’s defense? And clogged all the courts? It would be beautiful. It would be the most beautiful thing. No one would ever have seen anything so beautiful. Something to consider lol.
I got a huge wake up call to how zombified our country is when the ridiculous, anti science mask mandate was dreamt up. I SHOWED Covidiots the disclaimer ON THE BOX of their hallowed blue masks: “Does not prevent respiratory viruses”, “Do not use if you have a heart condition” Even “educated” doctors and nurses who, presumably, took a class in virology, dutifully strapped on a mask (later to be kept hanging from their rear view mirror and reused 🤢). I would love to be part of a Norma Rae Non Compliance movement, I just have no faith in the majority of my fellow humans. Perhaps our best chance is pushing local Governors to eliminate property tax. Could that get the camels nose under the tent?
If fraud was magically and retroactively eliminated from government spending, the $38 Trillion deficit would not exist. Income tax could be replaced by tariff revenue. Just day dreaming…..
My sister’s brother-in-law decided that federal income taxes were illegal, so he stopped paying them. It worked for about three years. Then he got to spend a couple of years in federal prison, and lost his license to practice his profession. And still was required to pay all the back taxes plus penalties and interest or go back to jail. So yeah, I’m still going to file tax returns and pay the number on the bottom line because I don’t think prison would be much fun.
I do think it would make you an instant target... but that said, some folks have managed it. I think it's one of those things if you know every last in and out and cross all your Ts etc. you might get past them? IDK. I'm definitely not cut out for prison either.
You might be interested in the history of Mr. Peymon Mottahedeh referenced in the comments you included and the fact that he lost his appeal in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals In 2023 and was found liable for the taxes and penalties which amounted to approximately $93,000k not including interest. Just this month another suit has been filed in Florida, where they reside. It appears they failed to file a response by the deadline so it is likely they will be declared in default and the IRS will be given the go ahead to begin seizing their property and bank accounts. So….I guess if you’re willing to roll the dice and look over your shoulder for 20 years.
We have a friend who went to jail for the same thing. It was probably 15 years ago by the time he went. Ruined his life, home, wife, some kids, but eventually rebuilt it and remarried and is living happily in the south.
I recently mentioned to our accountant that Trump is going to get rid of income taxes. He just laughed and said that will never happen. Well, he better hope it doesn’t because he’s going to be sorry that he just expanded his office space and signed another 10 year lease.
If it weren’t for hubs, I’d be boycotting. I’ll be sending him your post Jenna!
If an employee exercises the right to opt out of paying federal income tax, they notify the employer that they are tax exempt, and the employer will lawfully not withold taxes from their paychecks. Unfortunately, the IRS can demand the employer through a "lock-in-letter" to withold taxes and pay them anyway... or else the employer is liable. We really need to get away from taxing earned income and shift it to sales taxes on certain items. That way people who can afford certain luxuries pay taxes, and those who can't, don't.
I came back because I just had another thought - WHERE would the Democratic Party find money to start sending condoms to Saudi Arabia and creating USAID and other ways to spend MY MONEY if I decide I’m definitely NOT all in? Hmmmm…. oh Jenna you’ve started something here. Ok. I’ll shut up now.
I should really go through one of those courses... I do have a friend doing it... it's NOT a fleeting endeavor, that's all I know at this point!!! Like you literally have to divorce yourself from the system...
That's PRECISELY what President Trump and Scott Bessent are doing right now.
RE: The Federal (which ain't federal, it's privately owned), Reserve (ain't anything reserved there cept parking spaces) vs THE TREASURY.
This is but one glorious outcome of the Iran/Strait of Hormuz issue - it kicks the City of London (it's own 'country' within the city, with its own borders, cops, laws and rules, and even a damn wall) and the Lloyds of London squarely in the junk while simultaneously kneecapping the British Empire and their over used 'tea taxes' which have never stopped.
If America had actually won the divorce case of Britain vs USA, there would be no damn BAR (British Accreditation Registry) Association of Admiralty Law lawyers (CONTRACT LAWYERS) committing lawfare on anyone who opposes their System of Systems - income tax being only a small part of that system.
Something to think about -> do you think it fair to have some lawfully not pay income tax cuz they read and did a thing, while millions of others who did not, still legally have to pay it?
Spoiler Alert: That is NOT the way President Trump works.
Also, YUGE difference between LAWFUL (Constitutional) and LEGAL (BAR Association using LEGALESE)
Definition of legalese - take all the words known to man in the English speaking world, twist and contort them to mean absolutely nothing close to what they really do, then stir em on up in some gargantuan stew pot, and THEN serve em on up using a big ole ladle as some serious fecked up word salad that no one, not even them, can make sense of, BUT that certainly clarifies that YOU broke the law.
It tells ya so on line 1913 of amendment 4216 under subsection 392, under sub subsection of AA between sub sub subsections of AAa and CcC , paragraph 14. Clear as day even!!
Things they are a'changin.'
Rapidly.
Hang onto your bloomers cuz it's gonna be a whirlwind!
Trump needs to sign an executive order telling the IRS to stop enforcing any tax compliance rules and or laws IE they will only accept voluntary contributions. You have to starve the beast to kill it. Congress needs to repeal the 16th amendment. Let’s really fuck over the Democrats so they can’t do anything once they get back in power.
If I recall correctly, Peter Schiff's father, Irving Schiff, died in prison for not paying taxes,so not everyone who's tried has beat the system. These days it is certainly tempting to opt out when you see how the government has been using our money against us, like developing Covid and then creating a massive censorship industry to prevent the spread of cures and killing people with the jab while enriching pharma.
Gosh...I vote..Definitely illegal but what can I do about it? My great Uncle stopped paying his taxes because he knew they were illegal. He told me they were illegal, but I had no idea that he stopped paying them. The government found out just after he died. Of course, his widow had to sell their house in order to pay his back taxes. But he himself, actually got away with standing up to tyranny in his own quiet way.
Oh, I get you...I am not sure of her legal representation as this happened over 40 years ago. And I was only 22 when he died. But she did mention that because of the tax bill she had to sell the house...
As I recall, The 16th Amendment contradicts Article I, Section 9, Clause 4 regarding direct taxation. It was also passed during the invention of the Federal Reserve (which is not federal but private, and has no reserves). In addition you will find that the night this was passed they did not have a quorum.
Just try not paying. They'll throw you in prison and make an example of you. They've done it many times. And yes, it is not legal. But they do it anyway. They have the guns.
Great post Pollyanna! Been following Banister for a long time. He's right. The problem today is this little thing called "lawfare". I've seen it in action with a couple friends. Lawfare doesn't care who's right or wrong. Ask Trump. Or Gen Flynn. I do agree that with all the fraud being ALLOWED, actually ENCOURAGED, to continue (probably well into the trillions), people are starting to look at this issue differently. Great post!
Let's make tax refusal TOO BIG TO RIG!!! ;)
Kind of a 'I'll show you mine if you show me yours' moment, in grand scale, simultaneously. A highly interesting proposition. Lots of people have been churning this for decades. The 456 hospices & 397 Daycares, all in a single tiny apartment in (insert blue city of choice here__________), might just provide the juice that gets the ball rolling.
Please help me understand how this works with the 16th amendment.
The 16th amendment allows the government to levy the income tax however the amendment doesn't specifically give the government the means to force the citizens to pay it. Basically, tax compliance is voluntary. IRS's job is to encourage voluntary compliance by using penalties and legal battles. Choose your battles wisely, it won't be cheap.
That's because if it specifically gave them power to enforce, it would violate the rest of the Constitution, so they are very sneaky and nefarious about how they use lawfare, etc and go about gaining compliance without statutorily requiring it. You against government, they will drain every ounce of blood out of you and do it using your taxes and everyone else's.
Thank you!
So, have you stopped paying in?
Nope. Still paying like a dope. SMH.
Russell, you are exactly correct, the government will use the power of law enforcement to put you in prison and keep everyone toeing their bullshit line.
It is a great post from Jenna, and we all need to coalesce and figure out how to fight back.
Guess what else you shouldn't be paying? Property taxes? If you are living in your home, the place where you eat, sleep, make babies, watch the lying media but you do no business out of that home, then you are not to pay a property tax. Let that sink in. I live in my home which I am buying, the county taxes me over $4g's a year. I operate no business out of my home, therefore they cannot tax me on it, yet they do... and why? Lawfare. Taxation was always only supposed to be through businesses and businesses pass that tax on to those who buy from the business, period. But because everyone has been told they will be locked up if they don't pay their property tax and because our deceitful, despicable government uses the power of law enforcement to lock us up, everyone simply toes the line because not enough of us are willing to say HELL NO, we are not paying your damn unconstitutional tax.
People who rent don't pay taxes, the person they rent from pays taxes because it is a business. This is one of many reasons they dont want you to own a home, your own property.
Let me add one other thing. they dont give a f*** about the Constitution, in fact they write laws to specifically subvert it. It's why we have the 2nd Amendment. We should use it.
If Americans truly understood their Constitutional power over government this kind of theft would not happen but it is precisely why we have a public indoctrination system... err education system... to keep us uninformed but severely indoctrinated.
The one year we were a day late paying our real estate taxes the county immediately put our home up for auction. That was the most stressful week of my life. We don’t have the means to fight that in court, nor the means to stop the auction. We had the money to pay but were late. We were able to stop the sale.
Only someone wealthy can fight any of this. The rest of us lose everything if we try.
If I don’t pay my property taxes they post my property for sale and sell it to someone else though. I just had that happen because I don’t pay taxes (disabled), but I bought a small adjacent lot of property…that doesn’t fit under my ‘you don’t have to pay taxes because your disabled’ and they listed that property as up for auction due to nonpayment of taxes. My ex told me he was going to buy it just to screw with me. I went & paid my taxes ASAP because he’s my ex for a reason…I don’t need him next door.
Did Congress (?) ever go through with hiring the additional 80,000 IRS agents and *arming* them? We continue to pay our taxes because we don’t have the $$$ to fight the lawsuits.
Brilliantly written (as usual) Jenna and thought provoking
See they cemented it in when they started having employers withhold income taxes. So for most people they couldn’t stop paying if they wanted to. (I’m sure they want to). If we could get a movement to jackhammer the employer withholding rule or whatever it is, then we could do some serious rebellion. Let’s say we got enough folks to not pay starting on a certain day. They can’t threaten everyone. Then we’d get some real action from our reps (maybe?).
Rush Limbaugh used to say that if rather than having our taxes withheld from our paychecks, we had to write a check to the federal government for the amount (Or send it by Zelle now), there would be a tax rebellion.
Yes. When our employers take it out, we don't have much choice. And filling out a W2 is required upon hire. I wonder what an employer would do if we refused to fill one out?
File exempt
They punish the employers
Why do you think they instituted the social security registry
File exempt
It's not the legality / illegality aspect of it that concerns me. It's the goon squad that enforces the "rules" that worry me. These people take perverse pleasure in persecuting other people.
Yeah, there’s certainly THAT. Sickos, all … (double grrrrr)
Perhaps not "all" but far too many!
Exactly. I do not want the goons coming after us.
Let's create a "goon free zone". A community of harmony and peace!
I’m 100% on board!
Goons don't kill people...oh, wait, yes they do.
And that is why they have all these weapons
Ive been working in an accounting office since 2013. The stuff I see…..😳 hardworking people owe g ridiculous taxes while out-of-work mom of four gets $20,000 tax return. The system is soooo s reward up. It’s past time for We The People to stop complying with the lunacy
GRRRRRRR!
I know, girl. It’s criminal
Back in 2006 I worked with a single mom of 2…same baby daddy, mind you…who was elated that she was getting back more than she paid in on her income taxes. I was like, “there’s absolutely no way that can be!” Long story short, I was hella shocked to find out that was in fact true. And not only for her, but for the untold # of others reaping the same benefits…i.e. stolen $. I wanted to slap that smile right off her face every time she boasted about it. But I refrained.
Oh yeah. They’re proud of taking my and your tax dollars. Bitches.
The only difference between death and taxes is that death doesn’t get worse every time congress meets. Will Rogers
Good morning. I've never heard the "shampoo" one, but of course I don't move in your societal circles. But between the IRS and state properties taxes I often do feel like we're being robbed, or pilfered, or something. I've "owned" my home for years, but let's just see what happens if I stopped paying properly taxes. Feels more like rent. And don't get me started on school taxes 🙄
Look up "no poo" (no joke). It's a whole THING. People swear that commercial shampoo strips natural oils from your scalp, which then overcompensates by producing more oil, which we then need to remove with more shampoo... I mean, it makes sense!
Ooooooo .... That's what my Hair Specialist has been talking about. Yeah she's nuts (seriously) and French Canadian. (but claims she doesn't participate in that French shaving revolt thing).
Just had to add: I’ve never in my life met a Hair Specialist who isn’t nuts 🥜 💇♀️
My niece is a Hair Specialist and she is bonkers. She also offers to color my hair for free. I tell her no thank you, I love my grey. Grey is the new purple.
Me too! #GrayAllTheWay
Obvi
You don’t actually have to go no poo. If you gradually increase the number of days between washings, the feedback loop will take care of itself. Some people missed the point of no poo (which originally was water only) and washed their hair with things like baking soda and vinegar but continued to wash their hair every day. Or they would buy expensive “cleansing conditioners”, (basically shampoo with better marketing), and claim they were no poo. Anyway, to get your hair to produce less oil, you just wash it less frequently. You don’t have to use anything special.
Interesting! I've always been a shampoo minimalist (I just don't get oily scalp, ever, so why would I go to the trouble of washing/drying/styling EVERY DAY? I do it twice a week, max--AND YES I STILL SHOWER DAILY) so I guess I'm ahead of the curve! :)
I understood the vinegar rinse to be a one time thing to strip all the sulfates from your hair from years of shampoo use. After that first time, it wasn't needed.
Right. There is even a lawsuit against a shampoo manufacturer claiming the shampoo causes hair loss. The hair loss thing doesn't make sense because once your hair is gone you have no need for shampoo. Shampoo companies putting themselves out of business?
I lived all over the country in my 20s and 30s. Just an observation. Government Services were worse in high tax states. Roads were worse, etc. Politicians should not be allowed to decide what they get paid and they shouldn’t be allowed to put the cost of their incompetence on the people. But everywhere they do.
Once again....TERM LIMITS.
Here in my town (in the city limits) the park and recreation district taxes are higher than school taxes. Add in property taxes and the number is huge.
We’re in the county and ‘just’ pay property and school taxes, about $5k a year only because our home is valued lower because we bought it 21 years ago. If we sell… oh don’t get me started. We literally can’t afford to downsize due to high prices, and don’t forget capital gains if we move to a more affordable area.
It's INSANITY! I have an empty nester friend who wanted to downsize his huge house and move into a smaller but perfectly situated condo downtown... even though it was nearly an even swap, since he's owned his house forever and property taxes are based there on purchase price, not value, it was going to cost him more than $20K/year for the privilege of downsizing! So dumb. I hate the IRS.
Exactly!! Same here. If we downsize and stay here we’d be in the same boat. So we stay in our older home replacing things like our furnace and heatpump, and scraping a previous exterior painting mistake, and repainting. It never ends! Lol.
I feel for your friend, here in Oregon single people are especially brutalized tax wise. Sounds like he’s single…
You probably already know this, but if married filing jointly you don’t have to pay capital gains on the first $500,000 of gains (at least for federal tax purposes).
Yes, you’re right. We’d have to pay some, I also think you can do a one-time exemption but not sure about that.
We talked about it a lot recently when we drove through a town in northern Nevada that we liked. But median home prices were 629k!!
Can’t move until my mom passes as she won’t move, and she’s already five hours away! But in the future it might work.
There used to be a one time exclusion if you were 55+, but they got rid of that quite a few years ago so now the only exclusion is the $500k. Something else to consider is that you can increase your cost in the house by adding major home improvements (not maintenance expenses) such as any remodeling, roof replacement, adding a deck or sprinkler system. Just something to keep in mind to possibly reduce your taxes.
🤔 maybe it’s time to do that kitchen remodel.
I didn’t know they took that one time deduction away. Grrrr
They took the deduction away, but if you pull a permit you will be reassessed and definitely wind up paying more. And most counties expect you to get a permit just to replace a toilet. As a homeowner and former builder, I have never pulled a permit for any of my home improvements for that very reason. You're not going to get away with that for something like an addition though.
Elko, NV?
No, shhhhh, Gardinerville 😉
Ooooo, pretty there!
I also stopped using Antiperspirant juice too, I decided I did not want Dementia. Follow me on Substack for more Fashion Tips
😂
Yup... no shampoo or shower gel for many years now - just shower with warm water... and eat low carb (mostly 🤪)
I now only use Dr Teal's body wash and polish. No fillers or dyes and made from like goat stuff and jellyfish love or something.
😂 jellyfish love?
And as if the taxes were not enough, they've created a system where many of us feel compelled to hire professional help just to get it right.
I'm old enough to remember Money Magazine. One annual feature used to be sending identical sets of documents to 40 or so CPAs, and asking them to complete a tax return. The incredible thing is that NEVER--NOT ONCE--did they ever get two of their highly trained CPAs to reach the same conclusion about what was owed or due as a refund. How maddening is that?
I remember that. Nobody actually knows what the regulations are or how they work. The tax code of regulations is huge. Try reading it, it takes you in circles.
As a Libertarian, I’m supposed to say “Taxation is Theft” and on some level, I really believe that but my favorite Libertarians say “Taxation is Extortion”.
And as a Jenna fan, I gotta say this is extra bad ass. 🙌😘❤️🤬🍑
(What a perfect day to get back to reading Substack! 😘)
Wouldn’t it be great if every American boycotted paying their taxes this year? And use Joe’s defense? And clogged all the courts? It would be beautiful. It would be the most beautiful thing. No one would ever have seen anything so beautiful. Something to consider lol.
LingOL!
I got a huge wake up call to how zombified our country is when the ridiculous, anti science mask mandate was dreamt up. I SHOWED Covidiots the disclaimer ON THE BOX of their hallowed blue masks: “Does not prevent respiratory viruses”, “Do not use if you have a heart condition” Even “educated” doctors and nurses who, presumably, took a class in virology, dutifully strapped on a mask (later to be kept hanging from their rear view mirror and reused 🤢). I would love to be part of a Norma Rae Non Compliance movement, I just have no faith in the majority of my fellow humans. Perhaps our best chance is pushing local Governors to eliminate property tax. Could that get the camels nose under the tent?
Every candidate promises to lower them. Yet somehow they keep rising, hmmm ...
That would be one heck of a Class Action lawsuit.
Hugely!
Missed your comments!!! Hope you had a nice break. :)
If fraud was magically and retroactively eliminated from government spending, the $38 Trillion deficit would not exist. Income tax could be replaced by tariff revenue. Just day dreaming…..
Or if they simply rolled the budget back to 2019 levels. But then the banks might "earn" less.
My sister’s brother-in-law decided that federal income taxes were illegal, so he stopped paying them. It worked for about three years. Then he got to spend a couple of years in federal prison, and lost his license to practice his profession. And still was required to pay all the back taxes plus penalties and interest or go back to jail. So yeah, I’m still going to file tax returns and pay the number on the bottom line because I don’t think prison would be much fun.
I do think it would make you an instant target... but that said, some folks have managed it. I think it's one of those things if you know every last in and out and cross all your Ts etc. you might get past them? IDK. I'm definitely not cut out for prison either.
You might be interested in the history of Mr. Peymon Mottahedeh referenced in the comments you included and the fact that he lost his appeal in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals In 2023 and was found liable for the taxes and penalties which amounted to approximately $93,000k not including interest. Just this month another suit has been filed in Florida, where they reside. It appears they failed to file a response by the deadline so it is likely they will be declared in default and the IRS will be given the go ahead to begin seizing their property and bank accounts. So….I guess if you’re willing to roll the dice and look over your shoulder for 20 years.
Ask Wesley Snipes.
We have a friend who went to jail for the same thing. It was probably 15 years ago by the time he went. Ruined his life, home, wife, some kids, but eventually rebuilt it and remarried and is living happily in the south.
...and therein lies the rub.
I recently mentioned to our accountant that Trump is going to get rid of income taxes. He just laughed and said that will never happen. Well, he better hope it doesn’t because he’s going to be sorry that he just expanded his office space and signed another 10 year lease.
If it weren’t for hubs, I’d be boycotting. I’ll be sending him your post Jenna!
If an employee exercises the right to opt out of paying federal income tax, they notify the employer that they are tax exempt, and the employer will lawfully not withold taxes from their paychecks. Unfortunately, the IRS can demand the employer through a "lock-in-letter" to withold taxes and pay them anyway... or else the employer is liable. We really need to get away from taxing earned income and shift it to sales taxes on certain items. That way people who can afford certain luxuries pay taxes, and those who can't, don't.
I came back because I just had another thought - WHERE would the Democratic Party find money to start sending condoms to Saudi Arabia and creating USAID and other ways to spend MY MONEY if I decide I’m definitely NOT all in? Hmmmm…. oh Jenna you’ve started something here. Ok. I’ll shut up now.
I should really go through one of those courses... I do have a friend doing it... it's NOT a fleeting endeavor, that's all I know at this point!!! Like you literally have to divorce yourself from the system...
That's PRECISELY what President Trump and Scott Bessent are doing right now.
RE: The Federal (which ain't federal, it's privately owned), Reserve (ain't anything reserved there cept parking spaces) vs THE TREASURY.
This is but one glorious outcome of the Iran/Strait of Hormuz issue - it kicks the City of London (it's own 'country' within the city, with its own borders, cops, laws and rules, and even a damn wall) and the Lloyds of London squarely in the junk while simultaneously kneecapping the British Empire and their over used 'tea taxes' which have never stopped.
If America had actually won the divorce case of Britain vs USA, there would be no damn BAR (British Accreditation Registry) Association of Admiralty Law lawyers (CONTRACT LAWYERS) committing lawfare on anyone who opposes their System of Systems - income tax being only a small part of that system.
Something to think about -> do you think it fair to have some lawfully not pay income tax cuz they read and did a thing, while millions of others who did not, still legally have to pay it?
Spoiler Alert: That is NOT the way President Trump works.
Also, YUGE difference between LAWFUL (Constitutional) and LEGAL (BAR Association using LEGALESE)
Definition of legalese - take all the words known to man in the English speaking world, twist and contort them to mean absolutely nothing close to what they really do, then stir em on up in some gargantuan stew pot, and THEN serve em on up using a big ole ladle as some serious fecked up word salad that no one, not even them, can make sense of, BUT that certainly clarifies that YOU broke the law.
It tells ya so on line 1913 of amendment 4216 under subsection 392, under sub subsection of AA between sub sub subsections of AAa and CcC , paragraph 14. Clear as day even!!
Things they are a'changin.'
Rapidly.
Hang onto your bloomers cuz it's gonna be a whirlwind!
*Tips hat
Much Love
Trump needs to sign an executive order telling the IRS to stop enforcing any tax compliance rules and or laws IE they will only accept voluntary contributions. You have to starve the beast to kill it. Congress needs to repeal the 16th amendment. Let’s really fuck over the Democrats so they can’t do anything once they get back in power.
If I recall correctly, Peter Schiff's father, Irving Schiff, died in prison for not paying taxes,so not everyone who's tried has beat the system. These days it is certainly tempting to opt out when you see how the government has been using our money against us, like developing Covid and then creating a massive censorship industry to prevent the spread of cures and killing people with the jab while enriching pharma.
I think Al Capone was taken down by tax evasion as well.
Gosh...I vote..Definitely illegal but what can I do about it? My great Uncle stopped paying his taxes because he knew they were illegal. He told me they were illegal, but I had no idea that he stopped paying them. The government found out just after he died. Of course, his widow had to sell their house in order to pay his back taxes. But he himself, actually got away with standing up to tyranny in his own quiet way.
There is an innocent spouse relief available and the IRS knows this is available. They should have just gave this to her. She needed a tax attorney.
Oh, I get you...I am not sure of her legal representation as this happened over 40 years ago. And I was only 22 when he died. But she did mention that because of the tax bill she had to sell the house...
As I recall, The 16th Amendment contradicts Article I, Section 9, Clause 4 regarding direct taxation. It was also passed during the invention of the Federal Reserve (which is not federal but private, and has no reserves). In addition you will find that the night this was passed they did not have a quorum.
Just try not paying. They'll throw you in prison and make an example of you. They've done it many times. And yes, it is not legal. But they do it anyway. They have the guns.