Is getting paid in cash (and not reporting it) against Torah

amother

Thu, May 06 2010, 6:27 pm

Is it a HALACHIC problem if you don't report some cash income to the IRS?

MommyZ

Thu, May 06 2010, 6:33 pm

That depends on how big of a donation you give to the Rav...

Sorry I couldn't resist.

mamommommy

Thu, May 06 2010, 6:33 pm

Yes. I's called dinah d'malchusa dina. You have to follow the laws of the land you live in and it's illegal to not report income to the irs.

MommyZ

Thu, May 06 2010, 6:34 pm

mamommommy wrote:

Yes. I's called dinah d'malchusa dina. You have to follow the laws of the land you live in and it's illegal to not report income to the irs.

*Sigh* as are many other things that are condoned by some people but that's a whole big can of worms that's been opened and festered and reopened before.

Merrymom

Thu, May 06 2010, 6:36 pm

Are you the employee or the employer because I don't think you can report your boss either or even file for taxes without a w-2 form which your employer needs to fill out.

solo

Thu, May 06 2010, 6:37 pm

tamim tihiyeh im hashem elokecha

BinahYeteirah

Thu, May 06 2010, 6:40 pm

mamommommy wrote:

Yes. I's called dinah d'malchusa dina. You have to follow the laws of the land you live in and it's illegal to not report income to the irs.

That.

ChanaRochel

Thu, May 06 2010, 6:42 pm

MommyZ wrote:

That depends on how big of a donation you give to the Rav...

Sorry I couldn't resist.

sim

Thu, May 06 2010, 6:54 pm

mamommommy wrote:

Yes. I's called dinah d'malchusa dina. You have to follow the laws of the land you live in and it's illegal to not report income to the irs.

Sorry to be repetitive, but she is right, and no amount of rationalization will change that.

mirror

Thu, May 06 2010, 7:13 pm

Rav Moshe Feinstein has a psak on this.

I don't know the exact psak, but my accountant has asked many sheilos for many individuals. Consult your local Rav.

amother

Thu, May 06 2010, 7:28 pm

OP here. You confirmed my beliefs that it isn't OK. An opportunity to work "off the books" has presented itself (as a side income), not as a main income (which we do pay taxes on). Just doesn't feel right to me, though.

BinahYeteirah

Thu, May 06 2010, 7:51 pm

Isn't there some way to report income, even if your employer will not be reporting it? They should be doing everything on the books, but if not, are you required to turn down parnassa? I thought it could be reported in some extra space on the forms, like "other wages" or "tips" or something like that.

Mama Bear

Thu, May 06 2010, 8:05 pm

You can file a 1099 as a self-employed person. there are plenty of people who do things like shaitels, makeup etc., and get paid in cash, you can report it on your own.

Tzippora

Thu, May 06 2010, 8:12 pm

You can also report it as "Other" income. This income doesn't require a W-2 but if it's just side income that would make sense.

nylon

Thu, May 06 2010, 8:30 pm

By reporting it yourself, you're letting your employer avoid paying his share of your FICA. So while you aren't cheating the government of their taxes, you're enabling someone else to do so...

shaindifer

Thu, May 06 2010, 9:39 pm

nylon wrote:

By reporting it yourself, you're letting your employer avoid paying his share of your FICA. So while you aren't cheating the government of their taxes, you're enabling someone else to do so...

I think she is talking about independent work, with no employer, where she is getting paid directly by clients.

amother

Thu, May 06 2010, 11:45 pm

well if its assur then why is it okay for certain groups of frum people to do it as a community...im not gonna mention names of which communities but im sure people know what im talking about...

MommyZ

Thu, May 06 2010, 11:54 pm

amother wrote:

well if its assur then why is it okay for certain groups of frum people to do it as a community...im not gonna mention names of which communities but im sure people know what im talking about...

It's not just like the tricks and lessons in how to cheat the govmt in other ways is not ok either.

sequoia

Thu, May 06 2010, 11:59 pm

Sometimes people do things that aren't okay. Unless by "okay" you mean "what people do" in which case it's a meaningless term.