This really ought to be illegal

[Gregg]

On this thread over at LH, http://www.losthorizons.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=1360

one of the genius's proudly states that he's inserting a few flyers into the 1040 instructions at I assume public libraries, the Post Office etc...


LH loser said:

I like to put these in the handy 1040 instructions wherever they may be found. Very Happy

Now that really bugs me. There are a lot of people who will pick up the instructions and not realize that some goofy Tax Protester garbage in it is in fact TP garbage and I suspect a few might actually read this stuff, assume it's part of an IRS publication and well, you get my drift. Question for the lawyers in here, is this not in some way illegal, and if not, shouldn't it be?

[ClobberroTestii]

On this thread over at LH, http://www.losthorizons.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=1360

one of the genius's proudly states that he's inserting a few flyers into the 1040 instructions at I assume public libraries, the Post Office etc...


LH loser said:

I like to put these in the handy 1040 instructions wherever they may be found. Very Happy

Now that really bugs me. There are a lot of people who will pick up the instructions and not realize that some goofy Tax Protester garbage in it is in fact TP garbage and I suspect a few might actually read this stuff, assume it's part of an IRS publication and well, you get my drift. Question for the lawyers in here, is this not in some way illegal, and if not, shouldn't it be?

It is widely known that libraries and the post offices are among the places where Form 1040 instructions may be found so your assumption has merit.
I would imagine that placing foreign material of the type described into Form 1040 instructions wherever they may be found is an affirmative act of obstruction of the administration of the internal revenue laws. To the extent that the instructions are found in post offices there may be other issues for the postal inspectors to address.

[webhick]

Not in MN, but to be safe I just called the local library to warn them about this scheme, and they said that they are no longer carrying 1040s (and did not carry the 1099s or W-2s either). And, apparently, they're not the only ones neglecting the forms this year.

[Evil Squirrel Overlord]

I love the New York Times Links!

Date: 1895

[grixit]

Um, what link?

[webhick]

Um, what link?

The two that Weston posted in the thread:

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-fr ... 94649ED7CF
http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-fr ... 94649ED7CF

[LPC]

Not in MN, but to be safe I just called the local library to warn them about this scheme, and they said that they are no longer carrying 1040s (and did not carry the 1099s or W-2s either). And, apparently, they're not the only ones neglecting the forms this year.

Not surprising, considering that anyone who wants a form can download it from the IRS website.

[MN Stix]

Not in MN, but to be safe I just called the local library to warn them about this scheme, and they said that they are no longer carrying 1040s (and did not carry the 1099s or W-2s either). And, apparently, they're not the only ones neglecting the forms this year.

Would you say that they are willfully neglecting their duties? Why would a library (or anyone else) need to supply IRS forms?

[Gregg]

Not in MN, but to be safe I just called the local library to warn them about this scheme, and they said that they are no longer carrying 1040s (and did not carry the 1099s or W-2s either). And, apparently, they're not the only ones neglecting the forms this year.

Would you say that they are willfully neglecting their duties? Why would a library (or anyone else) need to supply IRS forms?

As a public service, the libraries everywhere I have ever lived have made them available in the past. I do see less of them now that most people have internet access. In Ohio, or at least my county, they are also in the lobbies of the county buildings with other information etc...

[fortinbras]

If not the public libraries, the post offices frequently offer the most commonly used federal tax forms.

As for slipping bogus tax instructions into the stacks of tax booklets, the Tax code (it would take me a while to find the exact provision) says that the Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to prescribe the forms used by the IRS. A couple of decades ago the IRS stomped all over a Eugene May who was distributing his own bogus version of the 1040 form -- they superficially resembled the proper forms but the small print on various lines had been changed so that the answers written in by the taxpayer were misleading.

[webhick]

Not in MN, but to be safe I just called the local library to warn them about this scheme, and they said that they are no longer carrying 1040s (and did not carry the 1099s or W-2s either). And, apparently, they're not the only ones neglecting the forms this year.

Would you say that they are willfully neglecting their duties? Why would a library (or anyone else) need to supply IRS forms?

There's more than one definition for the word neglect, but thanks for zeroing in on the only one that furthers your objective. You've now used up the last of my short-supply of patience and in the interest of not letting the vitriol spill over into the forum, welcome to ignore.

[MN Stix]

Hey Cap'n, The question is, what DUTY does the library have to carry IRS forms? Very nicely laid out though, great reasons why they may decide to that is. You failed to present the legal obligation the library is under, to provide said forms. Can you provide a law that created the obligation? Hell, as far as I know, they are under no obligation to provide a specific book.

I'll be waiting for the law that requires them to provide you with anything for that matter. I can hardly contain myself..."the waiting is the hardest part"

[wserra]

in the interest of not letting the vitriol spill over into the forum

Well, 's better'n bottlin' i' up, now isn' it?

[Mr. Mephistopheles]

Not in MN, but to be safe I just called the local library to warn them about this scheme, and they said that they are no longer carrying 1040s (and did not carry the 1099s or W-2s either). And, apparently, they're not the only ones neglecting the forms this year.

Not surprising, considering that anyone who wants a form can download it from the IRS website.

An exception to this is the 1099-misc (and perhaps others). One can download the form but cannot file that form. The "government" copy is in red and there is a clearly stated warning to not use that form and describing the penalties involved with filing a copy of the form that cannot be scanned. I don't understand why the form is available on-line if you can't use it!

[webhick]

Not in MN, but to be safe I just called the local library to warn them about this scheme, and they said that they are no longer carrying 1040s (and did not carry the 1099s or W-2s either). And, apparently, they're not the only ones neglecting the forms this year.

Not surprising, considering that anyone who wants a form can download it from the IRS website.

An exception to this is the 1099-misc (and perhaps others). One can download the form but cannot file that form. The "government" copy is in red and there is a clearly stated warning to not use that form and describing the penalties involved with filing a copy of the form that cannot be scanned. I don't understand why the form is available on-line if you can't use it!

So you have something to reference when you read the directions.

[Mr. Mephistopheles]

So you have something to reference when you read the directions.

[webhick]

So you have something to reference when you read the directions.

Every year before we even purchase the forms, I print out the directions and read them. I've found it helpful to have the form up on the screen while I'm reading so I can make a visual connection. I'm sure it seems stupid and unnecessary to a lot of people here, but everyone in the office demands for me to have snappy and accurate answers for every question under the sun. Heaven forbid should they be forced to look something up or have to retain some bit of information for more than a split frickin' second. Or read.

[Mr. Mephistopheles]

So you have something to reference when you read the directions.

Every year before we even purchase the forms, I print out the directions and read them. I've found it helpful to have the form up on the screen while I'm reading so I can make a visual connection. I'm sure it seems stupid and unnecessary to a lot of people here, but everyone in the office demands for me to have snappy and accurate answers for every question under the sun. Heaven forbid should they be forced to look something up or have to retain some bit of information for more than a split frickin' second. Or read.

I feel your pain. I'm not surprised the IRS never intended people to actually use the flippin' return forms they have on their website. I have found the W-9 pdf form rather convenient though.