Is it illegal for me to fake my own death? I would not be doing this to get out of any debts nor for an insurance scam.
I’m sure someone with come along shortly with a better explanation, but I would say yes. Seeing that there is some type of fraud involved would lead me towards that conclusion.
Well, if you stop paying your taxes (because you’re “dead”), that’ll constitute a major felony.
What if I didn’t get another job and had no need to pay taxes.
Well why would you fake your death if not to get out of debts or get some insurance $$$$$?
Maybe he wants to start his life over…sort of like what some crazy people think Tupac did.
No, simply faking a death is not in itself an illegal act. If it were the prisons would be filled with actors and actresses.
However, other things you might do after faking your death could be illegal. For instance, if you filed a false death certificate, made a fraudulent insurance claim or lied to law enforcement officials you’d have committed a crime. I think it would be very difficult to establish a new identity (e.g. obtain a new social security number or drivers license) without making a false statement to the various issuing authorities.
Tax is another issue. Pretty much any income you recieve, not just salaries and wages, is taxable. Evem, if you trick the IRS into thinking you are dead, you still owe tax on this income. Don’t pay it and you’re guilty of tax evasion.
What would be the point of doing this? Since you couldn’t legally establish a new identity, you’d have spend your life sitting in a cave without money. You could do that without faking your death.
Oh Tupac did fake his death. He is living in my attic.
really? cheeky bastard! he’s been living in my spare room too.
he’s playing us both for the fool…
Uh…
Uh…
Wasn’t their a poster with a very similar name to yours, recently…who got in trouble?
BZ00000 was re-instated.
DrMatrix - General Questions Moderator
Wow, DrMatrix. To reinstate him, did you fly around the Earth and go back in time to change history?
'Cause interfering in human history is kind of a no-no.
Oh, yeah, the topic. Even if you have no income, you’ll still have to file returns reporting that you have no income, at least if U.S. tax law is similar to Canadian.
Man, you all are really harsh on poor BZ. The guy’s just asking a simple question. If you don’t like the question, don’t answer. I think this was one of his more legitimate GQs, so maybe he’s gettin’ with the program.
Besides, for all you know, maybe BZ00000 is Tupac and he just wants to get the 411, ya know?
Nah, Can’t be Tupac, last I heard he was chillin with Elvis, and I don’t think Elvis’s secret Carebean Island has net access.
In the US, in 2001, if you were single and under 65 with an income of less than $7,450 you did not need to file. Over 65 the number is $8,550.
Other categories, like married, etc. have larger “return free” income limits.
And as was said, it you have no income you don’t need to fake your death in order to avoid the tax.
Tupac spelled backwards is …Caput! 
Faking death is illegal in so many ways that it is really a stupid thing to do.
If you really want to start your life over, there are real options.
The French Foreign Legion pretty much accepts “fringe” people and is fairly good with keeping you away from Visa bill collectors. You do, however, have to sign your life away - forever. Worse - you have to learn French. There are, however, limits…despite legend, convicted murderers and others on Intepol’s lists are not accepted, and turned over to authorities.
You can move to a third world country and buy a passport. If you have the money.
Many radicals from the 60’s simply went underground and changed their names. A lot are being caught of late, so it seems that plan ain’t all that great.
Sex change in a foreign country is drastic, but effective.
My favorite story is of a woman back in the 60’s who wanted to keep her grandchild away from her parents. She flew, with her grandchild, back and forth from London to New York - EVERY DAY - IIRC, almost a year!
It was only when a stewardess noted that the two were always on her flight did they get noticed and caught.
So…faking your death…what exactly is the purpose?
I’m not an attorney, but I think it is illegal. There is usually an investigation of a disappearance and that takes money and time. It can become quite expensive depending on how you fake it. If you get caught, there’s hell to pay.
:eek: :eek: :eek: That would take a buttload of cash. Plus, I coulnt magine living on plane food for more than a week.
Read: “Is Elvis Alive”, which documents 42 reasons why Elvis may, and how, he may have faked his death.
Among one of the 42 reasons: no one ever cashed in his life insurance policy(which would have been illegal if they did try to collect those insured millions if he really was dead )
(That one got me thinking, since I never knew a wealthy person who would not cash in a multi-million dollar life insurance policy)
A VERY!!! good EXCELLENT!! movie on this subject, was “No Where to Run”, starring David Jansen where he faked his death over a period of 7 years. Again, his life insurance was a paid up policy, and the benefits were same the same as if he cashed it in.
Extremely entertaining and a multiple surprise ending.