# The Mystery of Trump's Tax Returns **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [May 12, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616 "2016-05-12T16:27:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/1 "2016-05-12T16:27:18Z")
[This article was originally from WaPo.](http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/greg-sargent-the-mystery-of-donald-trumps-tax-returns) Trump is not going to release his tax returns before the election. This is unprecedented in modern times. The author of the piece speculates on the reasons why Trump may do this: - Because he can. - Because his income is far less than he wants us to know (income poor, asset rich) - Because he donates far less to charity than he whats us to believe - Because he has a lot of assets offshore to shield them from taxes, and he has no intention of repatriating those assets. Any thoughts on this article/reasons? ---
**Author:** ![Nonsuch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonsuch/32/2922_2.png) [@Nonsuch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nonsuch)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/2 "2016-05-12T16:39:25Z")
All of them sound likely, but my guess it’s mostly #2. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/3 "2016-05-12T16:43:24Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > [This article was originally from WaPo.](http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/greg-sargent-the-mystery-of-donald-trumps-tax-returns) > > Trump is not going to release his tax returns before the election. This is unprecedented in modern times. > > The author of the piece speculates on the reasons why Trump may do this: > > - Because he can. > - Because his income is far less than he wants us to know (income poor, asset rich) > - Because he donates far less to charity than he whats us to believe > - Because he has a lot of assets offshore to shield them from taxes, and he has no intention of repatriating those assets. > > Any thoughts on this article/reasons? Heh. One other possibility: - imagine his income is just as high as he intimates; maybe even higher. And imagine he donates plenty to charity, and does what a decent American _should_ with regard to assets and taxes. And imagine he revealed all of this during the primaries. What does Hillary go after him with in the general? Well, other stuff, I guess. So imagine instead that he unconvincingly makes a big deal about _not_ releasing 'em, and she keeps gunning for him about that. Spends time bringing it up in the debates, instead of bringing up other stuff in the debates. Eventually agrees to release the speeches she got paid so much for if he’ll release his tax returns, or something. So after a huge buildup, he reluctantly but eventually releases 'em and – oh, he’s got a lot of income, and he pays a lot of taxes, and donates a lot to charity? Huh. I hope that’s not it, but it’d be hilarious if it were true. ---
**Author:** ![dracoi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@dracoi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dracoi)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/4 "2016-05-12T16:46:39Z")
Might as well make a big fuss over something inconsequential when you also retain the ability to change your mind later. Phrased that way, this is Trump’s only consistent behavior. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/5 "2016-05-12T16:54:25Z")
It’s also a possibility that he donates a lot of money to liberal charitable causes (such as Planned Parenthood)…I sort of doubt that this is true, but it remains plausible. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/6 "2016-05-12T17:19:55Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > So after a huge buildup, he reluctantly but eventually releases 'em and – oh, he’s got a lot of income, and he pays a lot of taxes, and donates a lot to charity? Huh. > > I hope that’s not it, but it’d be hilarious if it were true. Well, Trump certainly threw a big enough hissy fit when Obama presented his long form birth certificate so maybe he’s desperate to try the same thing on someone else. But then, tax returns will be just one thing out of a hundred that Clinton and her allies are hitting Trump on so it won’t be all that deflating if they were a big nothing. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/7 "2016-05-12T17:25:19Z")
I was under the impression that Trump’s tax returns are currently being audited by the IRS. I doubt his tax lawyers would want the tax returns released during the audit. Why take the chance of pissing off the IRS during an audit. Is it possible that the WaPo writer wasn’t aware of the audit when they made up the possibilities listed in the OP? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/8 "2016-05-12T17:27:25Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I was under the impression that Trump’s tax returns are currently being audited by the IRS. I doubt his tax lawyers would want the tax returns released during the audit. Why take the chance of pissing off the IRS during an audit. > > Is it possible that the WaPo writer wasn’t aware of the audit when they made up the possibilities listed in the OP? I really wish people like you would actually read the article I linked to before posting suppositions that are actually addressed in the article: > [@](#): > > Whatever the motive here, what Trump is doing may be unprecedented in one important respect. The tradition of presidential candidates releasing their tax returns dates back to Richard Nixon. As Philip Bump documents today, Nixon released his tax returns while president, even though he was under audit. Thus, Trump — who had previously said he would not release his returns until an ongoing audit is complete, and is now suggesting he may not release them at all — is not even willing to do what Nixon did. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/9 "2016-05-12T17:28:20Z")
According to Trump he’s been audited 12 years in a row. Can’t see releasing the tax returns pissing off the IRS anymore than they clearly are already. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/10 "2016-05-12T17:39:13Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I was under the impression that Trump’s tax returns are currently being audited by the IRS. I doubt his tax lawyers would want the tax returns released during the audit. Why take the chance of pissing off the IRS during an audit. > > Is it possible that the WaPo writer wasn’t aware of the audit when they made up the possibilities listed in the OP? Let’s stipulate that it would be inappropriate to release a tax return while you’re being audited. I don’t agree but let’s just let Trump be correct on this. Why could he not release tax returns from previous years? Why can’t he say, “My CPA firm says it’s best if I don’t release the 2015 return during an audit, but here you go, here’s my 2014 return”? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/11 "2016-05-12T17:41:16Z")
We don’t know that he’s not going to release them. The legitimate reason he’d have to not release them is that they’re going to be very complicated and it would be easy for the press and his opponents to gin up a scandal about them. On the other hand he may be hiding something actually scandalous, although that seems unlikely to me, more likely if he is hiding anything it’s that he’s paid at a very low rate or there’s something he hasn’t paid. If he doesn’t release his returns he will lose votes. His campaign has already lowered the trust level among voters and this won’t help. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/12 "2016-05-12T17:45:30Z")
> [@](#): > > …Trump has handed over tax returns in the midst of audits before – to state gambling officials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as part of the process of seeking casino licenses in those states. > The returns haven’t been publicly accessible, but they were used by the state investigators who reviewed those applications… > **[Trump handed over tax returns in casino bids | CNN Politics](https://www.cnn.com/2016/05/11/politics/donald-trump-casino-licenses-tax-returns/index.html)** > > Donald Trump insists he won’t release his tax returns during his 2016 presidential run because those returns are the subject of ongoing Internal Revenue Service audits. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/13 "2016-05-12T17:51:01Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > We don’t know that he’s not going to release them. Well that’s true. He SAYS he is not going to release them, but it is quite clear that there is a complete disconnect between what Trump says today and what he says tomorrow and what he actually ends up doing… ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/14 "2016-05-12T17:51:50Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > I was under the impression that Trump’s tax returns are currently being audited by the IRS. I doubt his tax lawyers would want the tax returns released during the audit. Why take the chance of pissing off the IRS during an audit. > > Is it possible that the WaPo writer wasn’t aware of the audit when they made up the possibilities listed in the OP? How does this make any sense? How exactly does presenting the same information to the public, you sent to the IRS ‘piss them off’ has the IRS ever said you can’t show other people your filings? Even if they are auditing his current tax filings what stops him from presenting ones from previous years. According to him they audit him every year, so the IRS already had oportunity to review them, nothing further to be done. He’s presenting a story only the least informed people in the country could buy. They rest of us file our taxes each year and understand how it works. Maybe his concern is his tax atorneys actually just suck so the IRS has to audit him each year to straighten out the discrepancies and he doesn’t want us to see that. I’m picturing his tax filings looking like a failed homework assignment with red pen corrections everywhere. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/15 "2016-05-12T17:56:21Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > Well that’s true. He SAYS he is not going to release them, but it is quite clear that there is a complete disconnect between what Trump says today and what he says tomorrow and what he actually ends up doing… And that applies to almost every issue discussed about Trump. We don’t know what he’s going to do, we don’t even know if he knows what he’s going to do. What we do know is that we don’t know, and that should be the overwhelming argument against electing him. Instead, each side grabs one part of his multiply self contradicting statements and insists that’s the one that defines him. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/16 "2016-05-12T17:58:54Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > [This article was originally from WaPo.](http://news.nationalpost.com/full-comment/greg-sargent-the-mystery-of-donald-trumps-tax-returns) > > Trump is not going to release his tax returns before the election. This is unprecedented in modern times. > > The author of the piece speculates on the reasons why Trump may do this: > > - Because he can. > - Because his income is far less than he wants us to know (income poor, asset rich) > - Because he donates far less to charity than he whats us to believe > - Because he has a lot of assets offshore to shield them from taxes, and he has no intention of repatriating those assets. > > Any thoughts on this article/reasons? > [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I really wish people like you would actually read the article I linked to before posting suppositions that are actually addressed in the article: Then you were aware that not releasing his tax returns during an IRS audit was a major concern of Trump and his (not Nixon’s) tax attorneys. Yet you forgot to list that in your OP. I’m shocked. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/17 "2016-05-12T18:05:42Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Then you were aware that not releasing his tax returns during an IRS audit was a major concern of Trump and his (not Nixon’s) tax attorneys. Yet you forgot to list that in your OP. I’m shocked. :rolleyes: Why is it a major concern? ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/18 "2016-05-12T18:12:00Z")
> [@boytyperanma](#): > > …Even if they are auditing his current tax filings what stops him from presenting ones from previous years. According to him they audit him every year, so the IRS already had oportunity to review them, nothing further to be done. > > He’s presenting a story only the least informed people in the country could buy. They rest of us file our taxes each year and understand how it works. (post shortened) Of course. :smack: Trump and his tax attorneys have actually dealt with IRS audits year after year but based on the fact that you file your taxes every year, you want me to believe that you have a better understanding of the legalities of surviving an IRS audit. Let me see… experienced tax attorneys or somebody on the internet? hmmm. Tough choice. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/19 "2016-05-12T18:13:22Z")
[Here’s another article on the subject where Trump says he will release them](http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/author-i-saw-trumps-tax-returns-and-you-should-too/ar-BBsXtYe?li=BBnb7Kz&ocid=DELLDHP15). Well sort of. It tries to present reasons why he’s covering something up, but as usual there’s no there there. If we get to see the returns we’ll find out what’s in them. If not, it just makes his election even less likely. This is all a political tactic to raise doubt about him. Hardly necessary in his case. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2016, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616/20 "2016-05-12T18:15:20Z")
> [@doorhinge](#): > > Then you were aware that not releasing his tax returns during an IRS audit was a major concern of Trump and his (not Nixon’s) tax attorneys. Yet you forgot to list that in your OP. I’m shocked. :rolleyes: I believe you meant “major excuse”. And it’s a pathetic one, for reasons pointed out by others. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mystery-of-trumps-tax-returns/754616.md?page=2)