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theatlantic: No Taxes, No Travel: Why the IRS Wants the Right to Seize Your Passport You’re standing at the airport. The ticket agent clacks away on the keyboard. She looks up. “I’m sorry,” she says. “We can’t let you board the plane today.” Why? “It’s the IRS. They say you haven’t paid all of your taxes.” It sounds like the opening scene of a straight-to-DVD Washington thriller. It’s actually a few votes from becoming a reality. A new bill, quietly making its way through Congress, allows the federal government to stop people with unpaid taxes from leaving the country— even if they haven’t been charged with tax evasion or any other formal crime. […] Here’s how it would work. If someone owed more than $50,000 in back taxes, the IRS would be able to send their name over to the passport office for suspension, provided that the IRS already either filed a public lien or a assessed a levy for the outstanding balance. The bill does provide a few exceptions though. For example, if a person has set up a payment plan (that they’re paying in a timely manner), is legitimately disputing the debt, or has an emergency situation or humanitarian reason and must travel internationally, they may be able to leave for a limited time despite their unpaid taxes. Read more. [Image: Reuters]
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theatlantic:

No Taxes, No Travel: Why the IRS Wants the Right to Seize Your Passport

You’re standing at the airport. The ticket agent clacks away on the keyboard. She looks up. “I’m sorry,” she says. “We can’t let you board the plane today.” Why? “It’s the IRS. They say you haven’t paid all of your taxes.”

It sounds like the opening scene of a straight-to-DVD Washington thriller. It’s actually a few votes from becoming a reality. A new bill, quietly making its way through Congress, allows the federal government to stop people with unpaid taxes from leaving the country— even if they haven’t been charged with tax evasion or any other formal crime. […]

Here’s how it would work. If someone owed more than $50,000 in back taxes, the IRS would be able to send their name over to the passport office for suspension, provided that the IRS already either filed a public lien or a assessed a levy for the outstanding balance. The bill does provide a few exceptions though. For example, if a person has set up a payment plan (that they’re paying in a timely manner), is legitimately disputing the debt, or has an emergency situation or humanitarian reason and must travel internationally, they may be able to leave for a limited time despite their unpaid taxes.

Read more. [Image: Reuters]

45 notes

via The Atlantic
  1. sthampi reblogged this from theatlantic
  2. moreofwhat reblogged this from theatlantic
  3. john-37058 reblogged this from theatlantic
  4. jcsnyc reblogged this from theatlantic
  5. tallpawl reblogged this from theatlantic
  6. wizardblue reblogged this from theatlantic
  7. whenimreallyathundacat reblogged this from theatlantic
  8. chalkdustswirls reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    I’m not sure I agree that this provision doesn’t raise due process concerns simply because people “challenging” the tax...
  9. ladycorvus reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    Restriction in travel rights… hrm, this seems like it goes nowhere good. Will the entire US soon become a debtor’s...
  10. passportcollector reblogged this from theatlantic
  11. chrisdwoo reblogged this from capesandspace and added:
    It seems very reasonable.
  12. onepercentof1 reblogged this from theatlantic
  13. crimeschedule reblogged this from theatlantic
  14. governmentexecutive reblogged this from theatlantic
  15. lafrondeuse reblogged this from theatlantic
  16. marcelamarcela reblogged this from theatlantic
  17. jmek reblogged this from theatlantic
  18. gingerley reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    Nope. We gotta get out!
  19. capesandspace reblogged this from chrisdwoo and added:
    It kind of makes sense to me.
  20. contemplatingchicken reblogged this from theatlantic and added:
    I find the idea scary, though admittedly $50,000 is rather far away from affecting me.
  21. browngurlwfro reblogged this from theatlantic
  22. theatlantic posted this
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