Well, it’s well-known by now that Mr. Snipes got 3 years in (probably) Club Fed for income tax evasion and willfully failing to file his 1040.
Snipe’s argument was that since he earned the money from an offshore movie shoot, it was exempt from income since, he, as a U.S. citizen and resident did not earn the money in the U.S.
Well, as a former expat and professional ranter against our tax policy, let me say this: ” I’m sorry Snipes got his time but he earned it.” Had I been on the jury, I would have voted “not guilty” at the first available opportunity and held firm. Sadly, the tax law is pretty clear in Mr. Snipes case.
The U.S. is the ONLY country in the world that taxes not-resident income. In other words, if I have a job in Singapore, I have to pay taxes in the U.S. even though I don’t reside in the U.S.(and therefore have no vote in the elections in the House of Representatives which sets tax policy). If my counterpart from, say, England, has the same job and salary, he does NOT have to pay (the onerous) taxes to England. Why? He is not a resident of England. Remember that citizen and resident have separate meanings.
Let’s put it another way. If you live in the Socialist Shithole of Jim Pol Pot Doyle State of Wisconsin, you pay income taxes in The Socialist Shithole of Jim Pol Pot Doyle Wisconsin. If you move to say, Texas, or any other state, you may pay local income taxes because you live there but you don’t live in in the socialist shithole of Jim Pot Pol Doyle State of Wisconsin so you don’t pay taxes in Wisconsin.
I think Snipes got some bad advice from someone in his “posse” and he (Snipes) held fast. Well, that’s a nice trait but you might want to think about getting some tax pros in your posse, Wes. Enjoy the oatmeal.
And next time you have questions like this….address this blog. I probably won’t be able to save you any tax money but I probably CAN give you some life experience that can keep you out of jail.
To Mr. Snipes I say…best of luck. I like your movies. Question the fact that your so-called “friends” in Hollywood have deserted you. Come over to the “dark side”; we conservatives HATE taxes and, I think, could have defended you a lot better than what you got.
