MovieChat Forums > Blue Collar (1978) Discussion > Tax Man

Tax Man

posted 14 years ago by Eels14
5 replies | jump to latest

Back in '78 did the Tax Man turn up on your doorstep during the evening to tell you that you owed money to Uncle Sam? lol

These days I lodge a return with my accountant and the goverment sends the bill giving several months to pay.

[–] killersim187 14 years ago

I'm watching this movie now thinking the same thing.

[–] MarxBrosFan 12 years ago

He was there to do a headcount, because Zeke claimed 3 extra kids - which seemed particularly dumb but maybe people got away with that sort of thing in the 70s...

_____________________
Tally-ho, my fine saucy young trollop!

[–] MrBlondNYC 11 years ago

He claimed more children then he had and received tax credit for several years. He also didn't file for the wages he earned for other jobs. He owed $3000 which is about $10,000 today. Absolutely, they will come to your door for filing fraudulent tax returns.

George Carlin: It's all bullsh-t and it's bad for ya.

[–] jimmye184 11 years ago

I don't think the Earned Income Tax Credit was in existence than, just a deduction for each child...this was before SS numbers were issued to infants before they left the hospital.

let's go and say a prayer for a boy who couldn't run as fast as I could

[–] drnossal 10 years ago

You are thinking of the child tax credit and you are correct, the CTC wasn't created until 1997.

However, you did (and still do) get an exemption for every dependent on your return. This reduces your taxable income, hence your tax bill. It was VERY common for people to claim non-existent kids and relatives as dependents, or for multiple tax returns to claim the same dependent because the IRS did not have an effective method for cross-checking those claims. It was only about 15 years ago that the IRS started requiring SSNs for dependents, just for this reason.

Likely the only way you would get caught in 1978 is if the IRS pulled your return for an audit and asked for proof of your claimed dependents. If you couldn't provide them (birth certificate, school records, etc.), you got a tax bill for the difference. And if you didn't pay the bill, the IRS might show up on your doorstep. So this plot point is actually quite accurate.

"You didn't come into this life just to sit around on a dugout bench, did ya?" - Morris Buttermaker