# If I'm stopped & have 1 million dollars. Do I have to explain my cash to the police? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 6, 2006, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-im-stopped-have-1-million-dollars-do-i-have-to-explain-my-cash-to-the-police/383061 "2006-12-06T14:01:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-im-stopped-have-1-million-dollars-do-i-have-to-explain-my-cash-to-the-police/383061/41 "2006-12-07T02:26:30Z")
[QUOTE=SCSimmons] He was talking about $100s, not $1000s. His example was a brick of 1000 $1 bills, something he had experience in handling. A brick of 1000 $100 bills, worth $100K, would be exactly the same size; and ten of those bricks would be worth $1M. [/QUOTE] Right you are! Sorry about my sloppy reading of **minor7flat5’s** post and my wrong-headed post. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-im-stopped-have-1-million-dollars-do-i-have-to-explain-my-cash-to-the-police/383061/42 "2006-12-07T04:58:29Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] One more factor: I’m pretty sure there are laws about taking high amounts of currency across international borders. So if you’re planning on taking a day trip to Niagara Falls or Tiajuana, you’d probably want to take a credit card rather than a million dollars in cash. [/QUOTE] Yes, there’s a Customs Form, you have to declare anything over $10,000. The Admin has been wanting to lower this, so check before you take $9000, OK? ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-im-stopped-have-1-million-dollars-do-i-have-to-explain-my-cash-to-the-police/383061/43 "2006-12-07T06:02:24Z")
I have often wondered about this. I often pay for big-ticket items in cash. It is simply easier for me. So what if the bank files a SAR or other report? Would some Treasury agents visit me or what? ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-im-stopped-have-1-million-dollars-do-i-have-to-explain-my-cash-to-the-police/383061/44 "2006-12-07T07:47:45Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] I have often wondered about this. I often pay for big-ticket items in cash. It is simply easier for me. So what if the bank files a SAR or other report? Would some Treasury agents visit me or what? [/QUOTE] I think the law is mostly in place to catch tax cheats. First order of business would likely be a tax audit. ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-im-stopped-have-1-million-dollars-do-i-have-to-explain-my-cash-to-the-police/383061/45 "2006-12-07T07:53:30Z")
[QUOTE=Eleusis] I think the law is mostly in place to catch tax cheats. First order of business would likely be a tax audit. [/QUOTE] Errr… I think the “law about buying expensive shit with cash” is mostly in place to catch tax cheats… The “law about driving across state lines with $1,000,000 in unmarked twenties”… mostly there for drug runners. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2006, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-im-stopped-have-1-million-dollars-do-i-have-to-explain-my-cash-to-the-police/383061/46 "2006-12-07T15:25:48Z")
[QUOTE=Paul in Saudi] I have often wondered about this. I often pay for big-ticket items in cash. It is simply easier for me. So what if the bank files a SAR or other report? Would some Treasury agents visit me or what? [/QUOTE] The CTR form is for transactions over $10000, the SAR is for suspicious (usually structured) transactions under $10000. One of these won’t make a difference. No one will visit you. Of course, if you do get audited by the IRS, they’ll have the CTR on file. If you had a fair number of CTR’s you could get an inquiry or get audited. After all, if your reported income is $25K a year, but you have made $50K in cash transactions, something’s odd. Several SAR’s could start an investigator (IRS, DEA, Homeland Security, Customs) checking around after you. The purpose behind CTRs & SARs is to prevent Drug money laundering and terrorist financing. Taxes are secondary. Thus “ **Paul** in Saudi” might have some agents carefully looking at his dealings. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-im-stopped-have-1-million-dollars-do-i-have-to-explain-my-cash-to-the-police/383061.md?page=2)