I've heard this type of thing now and again and never paid any attention to it. Recently I spent a small amount of time reading and watching things about how some apparently maintain that there is no LAW stating that private citizens need to pay Federal income tax on their wages. Then why does virtually everyone including me pay fed income taxes on wages? I'm a bit skeptical. I would dismiss this all together were it not for a small but absolute number of court cases in the U.S. where private citizens (non-governmental employees) have been acquitted of tax fraud charges because prosecution was never able to produce any actual law on the federal level that requires private citizens to pay fed income tax on their wages. A recent case that's pretty easy to find on the net is of one "Whitey" Harrell in Illinois. Apparently the case was brought against him on the state level for not paying state taxes. Illinois law stated that anyone required to pay federal taxes was required to pay Illinois state income tax. In the case, the jury agreed there was no law at the federal level therefore Mr. Harrell was acquitted on the state charges. My understanding is that there have been similar cases in other states where a people have also been acquitted of tax dodging for the same reason?

Even if someone told me that this is true, I would still pay taxes at this point in my life. Why? IF it's unlawful for the government to collect fed income tax on private citizen wages, that wouldn't or doesn't stop the government from charging a citizen, taking assets, throwing them in jail, etc. I have a family to support.

So, is that all hogwash???

Chris L