Let’s talk about a difficult question. Let’s call it Ethics 101.
The IRS provides an opportunity to report a person or a business that has committed tax fraud. Let me set the record straight. I’m not a big fan of taxes or the IRS. I don’t think we should be spending hard earned money on weapons of mass destruction or expensive toilets and hammers. I think that we should help the homeless, the children, and the marginalized.
I’ve paid my taxes for nearly three decades and believe I’ve paid more than my fair share over that time. So it kind of makes me frustrated that there are people out there who don’t pay their taxes.
There are people out there who work hard at covering up their income and hide their fair share.
So this is the question on my mind: If I know a business has been hiding their assets, if I know a family fails to report income, if I know a woman is buying thousands of dollars worth of product on Amazon and not paying sales tax, am I required to turn them in?
A wise friend pointed out an obvious truth. If a man kills your neighbors, you have no question about your responsibility. You turn him in.
If a company pours toxic waste into the sewer, there is no delay. You report them.
If a neighbor sells drugs from his home, you call the police.
Drugs, chemical spills and murder require no long ponderings. But what about tax fraud? What do you do with this one?
Seriously, I want your wisdom. I need your thoughts. I seek your counsel.
