Poll: 87 percent say never OK to cheat on taxes

[TokenLibertarianGuy]

Poll: 87 percent say it's never OK to cheat on taxes; vast majority cite 'personal integrity'
http://news.yahoo.com/poll-87-percent-never-ok-173426798.html
By Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press | Associated Press – 48 mins ago


WASHINGTON (AP) -- With tax season in full swing, a newly released poll says an overwhelming majority of adults don't believe it is ever OK to cheat on their income taxes, with most citing personal integrity as the biggest reason why.
When asked how much, if any, is an acceptable amount to cheat on your income taxes, 87 percent of respondents said, "not at all." Only 11 percent said, "a little here and there" or "as much as possible."
Ninety-five percent said personal integrity influences them to honestly report their taxes, while 63 percent said fear of an audit did.

[talkingpointes]

Poll: 87 percent say it's never OK to cheat on taxes; vast majority cite 'personal integrity'
http://news.yahoo.com/poll-87-percent-never-ok-173426798.html
By Stephen Ohlemacher, Associated Press | Associated Press – 48 mins ago

But in practice is entirely different. Ask how many parents are ok with hitting kids, then ask how many actually do it, and then ask their kids how much it actually is; and somewhere therein you'll find the truth.

[Seraphim]

Breaking news:

The majority of people are subservient twits trapped in a web of lies and fear.

[HOLLYWOOD]

They're wrong... You know what cheating on taxes happens to be?

Spending more than their budgets...
Laundering money to corporations through government departments...
Starting wars unfunded to reward Bankers and Corporations, sticking the bill with the taxpayers...
Paying government workers more without budgeting for their future benefits/retirement...
Government borrowing and spending more than they have, devaluation the worth of the currency...
Corporate Welfare...
Insider Trading...
Propaganda...

Tax Cheating is done the most by government... which reflects their immorality, greed, and sociopathic positions of power/control.

PS: Have they found that $2.1 Trillion missing from the Pentagon budget over the years yet? Oh that's right, the documents were destroyed on 9/11... :rolleyes:

Americans are fools, but it truly also comes down to the wording of the question and how it's asked.

[FSP-Rebel]

I think this is just a reflection on the concept of honesty more than anything else.

[oyarde]

Nobody polled me on taxes .....

[cajuncocoa]

I think this is just a reflection on the concept of honesty more than anything else.
I agree.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

I think this is just a reflection on the concept of honesty more than anything else.



The telephone poll of 1,500 randomly chosen adults was sponsored by the Internal Revenue Service Oversight Board. It was conducted from Aug. 30 to Sep. 17 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications.


Most people would rather lie than have the IRS show up at their house. That's how I interpret it, anyway. I have a CPA do my taxes.

[thoughtomator]

0% have grounds to be certain that their own taxes are done accurately, the tax code running to more pages than any human being no matter how specialized could possibly read.

[Original_Intent]

87% were afraid to be audited. "Yeah suuuuure it's an anonymous survey..."

[jbauer]

no kidding!! no one is going to admit they cheated on their taxes. plus most people are W2, standard deduction filers, there's not much they can cheat on.

Ask that same 87% of folks if they reported the cash their neighbor gave them for helping them with the yard work as income and every single one of them will say no.

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

Most people would rather lie than have the IRS show up at their house. That's how I interpret it, anyway. I have a CPA do my taxes.


Oh, and I'm broke ass these days. But the advice from a CPA has always saved more money than I paid them for the tax help. In my case, one is a CPA/CFE (certified fraud examiner) and former IRS employee. I could be their poorest client for all I know, but I do believe having their signature on the return makes me less of a target for scrutiny.

[jkr]

SHOW
ME
THE
LAW

[TheGrinch]

87% were afraid to be audited. "Yeah suuuuure it's an anonymous survey..."

Exactly my thought. Not that they'd be that fearful, but there are certain questions that you can't expect people to be honest about, particularly not to a stranger.

Also the question seems to be framed as a "is it right (to cheat, further influencing a particular response)", not would you...

[moostraks]

Exactly my thought. Not that they'd be that fearful, but there are certain questions that you can't expect people to be honest about, particularly not to a stranger.

Also the question seems to be framed as a "is it right (to cheat, further influencing a particular response)", not would you...

aahhh....an fu frank survey. Nah, I wouldn't expect the poll to be accurate in more ways than one in this case.

[kcchiefs6465]

87% were afraid to be audited. "Yeah suuuuure it's an anonymous survey..."
Lol, this. Of course it's not okay to cheat on your taxes. Unless you are multibillion dollar banking conglomerate or make weapons to 'spread democracy' from as far away as possible.

[I'm a good little citizen.]

[kcchiefs6465]

SHOW
ME
THE
LAW
"Irrelevant."
"The Supreme Court is irrelevant?"
"Yes."

[ZENemy]

1,500 randomly chosen adults


lol, 1500 people.

[Sonny Tufts]

SHOW
ME
THE
LAW

Easy. Section numbers refer to the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 1 imposes the tax on taxable income.
Section 63 defines taxable income as gross income minus allowable deductions.
Section 61 defines gross income.
Section 6012 says that if you have gross income above a certain amount must file a return.
Section 6151 says that if you're required to file a return, you shall pay the tax.

[ronpaulfollower999]

The irony of it all....

http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/HJtuOPkzDto4vSQITkDPAw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MjQwMDtjcj0xO2N3PTM2MDA7ZHg9MD tkeT0wO2ZpPXVsY3JvcDtoPTQyMDtxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://globalfinance.zenfs.com/images/US_AHTTP_AP_HEADLINES_BUSINESS/2c6da6a9e538a2062a0f6a706700bbc5_original.jpg
('Liberty Tax Service')


:facepalm:

[coastie]

1500 people. Out of how many? Give me a break. Just like most Americans are with Obama on giving up our gun rights...right?:rolleyes:

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

If true, Stockholm Syndrome.

[RickyJ]

Which means only 13% are telling the truth and the other 87% are lying. Not surprising since I am sure they don't want to get audited.

[TokenLibertarianGuy]

You guys seem to forget that income taxes are voluntary.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R7mRSI8yWwg

[Todd]

The irony of it all....

http://l2.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/HJtuOPkzDto4vSQITkDPAw--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9MjQwMDtjcj0xO2N3PTM2MDA7ZHg9MD tkeT0wO2ZpPXVsY3JvcDtoPTQyMDtxPTg1O3c9NjMw/http://globalfinance.zenfs.com/images/US_AHTTP_AP_HEADLINES_BUSINESS/2c6da6a9e538a2062a0f6a706700bbc5_original.jpg
('Liberty Tax Service')


:facepalm:

Good grief..... I absolutely loathe those kids who dress up in the Liberty garb and dance around during tax season. More brainwashing that paying your taxes is the most American thing you can do. :rolleyes:

[amonasro]

Yeah, like people are going to admit to an IRS poll that it's ok to cheat on your taxes.

[DamianTV]

Ask the same question to every Bank and Wall St Firm that received Bailout Money. The poll results might be a bit different.

[TheGrinch]

aahhh....an fu frank survey. Nah, I wouldn't expect the poll to be accurate in more ways than one in this case.

LOL nice, a Penn and Teller Bullshit reference. That is precisely right, the question was asked in a way that is meant to elicit a particular response, no doubt.

Really good episode BTW:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBL2QfgQES4