Is 'Revocation of Election' to Opt-Out of Federal Taxes a Real Thing? Seeing This BS Online Everywhere

But what about the 16th amendment? I've heard people argue it wasn't properly ratified or something? And don't some of these tax protestors cite actual court cases? There's gotta be SOME legal basis they're twisting, right?

The 16th Amendment argument has been rejected by every court that has examined it. It was properly ratified in 1913 and gives Congress the power to collect income taxes. The Supreme Court confirmed its validity in numerous cases. These protestors often cite court cases but either misrepresent what the court actually said or cite to cases that have been overturned or are completely unrelated. They'll take phrases out of context or misapply holdings to situations where they don't apply. Many cite to very old cases that predate modern tax law altogether.

Does it actually provide the real legal citations? Like can you see the exact court cases where these arguments have been rejected? My brother is deep into this sovereign citizen stuff and I need hardcore proof to show him.

Sounds like an ad tbh. Does this actually work or is it just another company trying to profit off tax confusion? Like how exactly does it "analyze" documents?

Yes, it provides the actual legal citations and court cases. For example, it showed cases like Cheek v. United States where the Supreme Court explicitly rejected tax protestor arguments, and linked to specific IRS notices that address these exact schemes. It even showed penalties people received - some folks got hit with $5,000+ frivolous filing penalties for submitting these documents. It uses AI to analyze the tax documents by comparing the text against actual tax law, court decisions, and IRS publications. It basically reads the document, identifies the claims being made, and then pulls up the relevant legal information that shows why those claims are wrong. It's not just giving generic advice - it's specifically addressing the exact language in the documents people are considering filing.

How does this service actually work? Like they just call the IRS for you? Couldn't I just keep calling myself until I get through?

Yeah right. No way they're getting through to the IRS that fast when the hold times are literally hours long. This sounds like snake oil. The IRS phone system is completely broken - I refuse to believe any service can magically get through.

The service uses technology to navigate the IRS phone system and hold your place in line. When they get close to an agent, they call you and connect you directly. It's not that they have a special "back door" - they're just automating the waiting process so you don't have to sit on hold for hours. Yes, you could theoretically keep calling yourself, but the problem is the unpredictability. Some days the wait is 2+ hours, sometimes the IRS hangs up on you after waiting because they're too busy. This service just handles that painful part for you, and only charges if they actually get you through to an agent.

What's the craziest tax protestor argument you've encountered? I saw one where someone claimed that because their name was written in all caps on tax documents, it referred to a "strawman" entity and not their actual person 😂

The "strawman" theory is definitely up there! I had a client who insisted that writing "without prejudice, UCC 1-308" on his tax return would somehow make him exempt from taxes. He got hit with a $5,000 frivolous filing penalty. The wildest one was probably a guy who claimed that Federal Reserve notes (i.e., regular US dollars) weren't actual money, so his income paid in dollars wasn't real income. He tried to file a return reporting his income as "zero" while attaching his W-2 showing over $70,000 in wages. He ended up with penalties plus an audit that discovered additional unreported income.

What convinced you it was BS? Were there any resources that helped you see through the misinformation?

Thank you for this detailed explanation! As someone who's been seeing these scams everywhere lately, it's really helpful to hear from someone who works directly in tax compliance. The fact that they deliberately use real tax terminology to make it sound legitimate is so manipulative - no wonder people get confused. I'm curious, when you say the consequences include "sometimes criminal prosecution," what exactly triggers the IRS to pursue criminal charges versus just civil penalties? Is it based on the amount of money involved, or repeat offenses, or something else? I want to make sure I can give people the full picture of what they're risking if they fall for this stuff. Also, do you know if there's a way to report these scammers who are selling the courses and materials? It seems like they should face consequences too, not just the people who get duped into following their advice.

Great questions! Criminal prosecution typically happens when there's evidence of willful tax evasion, substantial underreporting (usually $70,000+ in additional tax owed), or when someone repeatedly files frivolous returns despite warnings. The IRS Criminal Investigation division looks for patterns that show deliberate intent to defraud rather than just confusion or bad advice. For reporting the scammers themselves, you can file Form 3949-A (Information Referral) with the IRS to report suspected tax fraud schemes. The IRS also has a "Report Phishing and Online Scams" page on their website. The Department of Justice has been cracking down on tax scheme promoters - many have been prosecuted under conspiracy and fraud statutes. The frustrating thing is these promoters often structure their operations carefully to try to avoid liability, claiming they're just providing "educational materials" rather than tax advice. But when the materials clearly instruct people how to file specific documents claiming tax exemptions, courts have generally found that crosses the line into illegal tax preparation and promotion of fraudulent schemes.

Great questions! Criminal prosecution usually happens when there's evidence of willful tax evasion or fraud, not just following bad advice. The IRS looks at factors like the amount of unpaid taxes, whether someone repeatedly filed frivolous returns after being warned, or if they're promoting these schemes to others. For reporting scammers, you can file Form 3949-A with the IRS to report suspected tax fraud. The IRS also has a specific email (phishing@irs.gov) for reporting tax-related scams. The Federal Trade Commission and state attorney general offices also investigate these "tax freedom" seminar promoters. What's particularly frustrating is that many promoters structure their businesses carefully to stay just on the legal side - they sell "educational materials" and claim they're not giving tax advice. But morally, they're absolutely preying on vulnerable people. The more people report them, the better chance law enforcement has of building cases against the worst offenders.

Great questions! Criminal prosecution typically gets triggered by several factors: willful tax evasion (intentionally hiding income or filing false returns), promoting tax fraud schemes for profit, or repeat offenses after being warned. The IRS Criminal Investigation division looks for cases involving substantial amounts (usually $70,000+ in tax loss) and clear intent to defraud. For reporting these scammers, you can file Form 3949-A with the IRS to report suspected tax fraud, or contact their fraud hotline at 1-800-829-0433. The IRS takes these promoter investigations seriously because they know one bad actor can mislead hundreds of people. What's frustrating is that many promoters operate in legal gray areas - they're careful to say things like "this is not tax advice" or "consult your own tax professional" to try to avoid liability. But the IRS has been cracking down harder on promoters under IRC Section 6700, which imposes penalties on people who organize or sell abusive tax shelters. The key thing to tell people is that if someone is selling a "secret" way to avoid taxes that the government "doesn't want you to know," it's 100% a scam. Legitimate tax strategies are well-known, documented, and don't require buying special courses or materials.

Great questions! Criminal prosecution typically gets triggered by several factors: the dollar amount of tax evaded (usually substantial), willful intent to evade taxes (versus just being misled), repeat offenses, or promoting these schemes to others. The IRS Criminal Investigation division looks for patterns of deliberate fraud rather than just people who got bad advice. As for reporting the scammers, absolutely! You can report tax scheme promoters to the IRS using Form 14242 or by calling the IRS at 1-866-775-7474. The IRS has a "Return Preparer Office" that investigates people who sell fraudulent tax advice. They've successfully prosecuted many of these promoters over the years - some have gotten prison time and been ordered to pay restitution to their victims. The challenge is these promoters often operate across state lines, use shell companies, and sometimes disappear quickly once they make their money. But the IRS does pursue them when they can track them down. I've seen cases where promoters were hit with injunctions preventing them from selling tax advice, plus criminal charges for conspiracy and tax evasion.

Great questions! Criminal prosecution typically happens when there's evidence of willful tax evasion - basically when someone knowingly and intentionally tries to avoid paying taxes they owe. The IRS Criminal Investigation division looks at factors like the amount of tax evaded (usually needs to be substantial), evidence of intent to defraud, and whether someone took affirmative steps to conceal income or assets. Simply filing one of these frivolous documents usually results in civil penalties first. But if someone continues filing them repeatedly after being warned, or if they're promoting these schemes to others for profit, that's when criminal charges become more likely. As for reporting the scammers, yes! You can report tax scheme promoters to the IRS using Form 14242 or by calling the IRS at 1-866-775-7474. The IRS has a whole Return Preparer Office that investigates people who sell illegal tax advice. They've shut down many of these operations over the years, though new ones unfortunately keep popping up. The IRS also offers rewards under their whistleblower program for information that leads to collecting taxes from these promoters - sometimes substantial amounts if the case involves significant tax revenue.

Great questions! Criminal prosecution typically gets triggered by several factors working together: the dollar amount involved (usually substantial tax deficiency), evidence of willful intent to evade taxes (versus just being misled), pattern of behavior over multiple years, and sometimes the person's role in promoting the scheme to others. The IRS Criminal Investigation division looks for cases that will have deterrent effect. So someone who just filed one frivolous return after being duped might face civil penalties, but someone who repeatedly files these documents year after year, or worse - someone who's teaching others to do it - is much more likely to face criminal charges. As for reporting the promoters, absolutely! You can report tax scheme promoters to the IRS using Form 14242 or by calling the IRS Lead Development Center at 1-866-860-4259. The IRS actively investigates and prosecutes people who sell these schemes. Many promoters have faced injunctions preventing them from preparing returns, and some have gone to prison. The challenge is these promoters often operate in legal gray areas, claiming they're just "educating" people about tax law rather than giving specific advice. But when they cross the line into actively promoting illegal tax positions for profit, the IRS does go after them.