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by markonthewall
3012 days ago
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It's actually trivial to dodge US taxes. The most basic and effective way to accomplish that is to establish fiscal residency in a friendly european country. It becomes /really/ easy when you have dual citizenship. Same applies for crypto gains, if you avoid using US based crypto-exchanges you are probably OK for the foreseeable future. I have found that many americans overestimate the reach, competence, and sheer willpower of the IRS. You would be surprised at what /doesn't/ happen if you stop filing taxes. |
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You are right: the sun would still rise everything morning, life would continue pretty much unchanged, no one would break down the door to haul you away for not filing your return. This is not Hollywood. But a little envelope could show up in a year, two years -- or twenty years. If you do not file there is no time limit on collection of taxes, interest and penalties. https://www.irs.gov/irm/part5/irm_05-001-019 Maybe you are living in a van now and getting cash on the nail and can't care less. But... what if you clean up in ten years and want to live better? Even a zero return is better than no return.
And if you do not live in a van but have an actual income with a paper trail, the IRS might just file a Substitution for Return on your behalf and then, if you do not respond, they will, with the full force of the law, come after what they think you owe them, putting a federal tax lien on your real property, garnishing your wages and so on.
Once you or they filed a return, there's a ten year time limit on collecting the money, but, again, that doesn't apply if you do not file.
What really doesn't happen is criminal tax evasion charges. That's truly rare and reserved for the heavy hitters.