# Taxes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 2, 2002, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxes/121992 "2002-08-02T08:19:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ninokid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a5b964/32.png) [@ninokid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ninokid)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxes/121992/1 "2002-08-02T08:19:21Z")
Im only 15, but I have an important question. My dad said I only have to pay taxes if pay them by myself first. He said because it was volunteer untill after you payed the first time, then it becomes mandatory. Is this true?? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxes/121992/2 "2002-08-02T09:41:12Z")
I think he may be talking about this: [http://www.beresford-v-irs.com/](http://www.beresford-v-irs.com/) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxes/121992/3 "2002-08-02T09:44:14Z")
(most of which seems to be a semantic debate about the word _Voluntary_ and the context in which it appears) ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2002, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/taxes/121992/4 "2002-08-02T12:32:35Z")
Run it past the IRS and see what they say. I would think if it was that easy, hardly anyone would be paying taxes now. And if it was once that easy, they undoubtedly revised the law.