Don't Follow Wesley Snipes' Example - Settle Your IRS Debts Now

Last week, Wesley Snipes was sentenced to 36 months Readytogo prison Amazing Adventures failing to pay his Federal Income Taxes. He was convicted of three misdemeanor counts for failing to file and pay his income taxes for the past three years. During the past 10 years, he failed to pay an estimated fifteen million dollars in taxes. The IRS has also filed a civil suit seeking all of the past consolidating student loan taxes plus interest and penalties owed by Mr. Snipes.

The actor maintained in a years long battle with the IRS he did not have to pay taxes, using fringe arguments common to "tax protesters" who say the government has no legal right to collect. After joining American Rights Litigators, and a successor group, Guiding Light of God Ministries, Snipes instructed his employees to stop paying their own taxes and sought $11 million in 1996 and 1997 taxes he legally paid.

Snipes withheld tax returns based on his belief that the Internal Revenue Service is not a properly established government agency. Snipes also contended that he did not file business returns because he "was personally not subject to taxation because he was a 'stateless person' mercedes car insurance 'nonresident alien,'" or a "'non-taxpayer,'" which prosecutors flatly rejected.

In the sentencing memorandum, prosecutors cited Snipes' "frivolous correspondence" with the IRS in regards to his tax returns and his alleged manner of hiding assets.

According to a sentencing memorandum, "It was Snipes' policy to send checks received at his business office for deposit offshore." The court document added that the "amount of unreported gross income proved at trial" amounted to more than $13 million during the three-year period.

Additionally, prosecutors said, Snipes shelled out money to family members, close friends and other organizations, including "some $498,000 in personal payments to Snipes' grandmother, his former wife, his then-fiance, his personal lawyer, a tax defier organization, and M & S Finance, the Swiss alter-ego to which he fraudulently conveyed his business holdings in 1999."

The bad news is that the IRS is ready, willing and able to prosecute people for not filing or paying their taxes. The good news is that there are a variety of programs available to help taxpayers settle their tax debts, avoid penalties and interest, and avoid facing criminal charges. If you are willing to work with the IRS, they are normally willing to work with you.

Peter Johnson is an attorney in Denver Colorado and the Author of The Insiders Guide to Settling Your Tax Debts. www.taxdebtbook.com">www.taxdebtbook.com