Pursuant to ratification of the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1913, Congress was given the power to collect a tax on “incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the states, and without regard to any census or enumeration.” Under the Internal Revenue Code, all residents and citizens of the United States are subject to a federal income tax. Income is broadly defined under the Internal Revenue Code, and can include payment for goods or services, profits from the sale of property, and benefits received from the cancellation of a debt. Under the Internal Revenue Code, corporations as well as individuals are subject to income tax.
The U.S. Constitution—Before ratification of the 16th Amendment, an income tax did not exist. All power granted to Congress to enact income tax laws comes from the 16th Amendment.
The Internal Revenue Code: The Internal Revenue Code provides the basic laws governing the collection of income tax by the federal government. (The Code also covers payroll, gift, estate and excise taxes).
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Regulations: As with all statutes, the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code are subject to interpretation, and require more detailed explanations to allow individuals and businesses to know how to comply. The regulations issued by the IRS provide interpretation and explanation, and have the force and effect of law.
Revenue Rulings: When the IRS considers the application of the Code to a specific set of facts, IRS officials may issue a revenue ruling, designed to give authority and direction in similar situations in the future. For judges, however, these rulings are only considered persuasive authority, and not legally binding.
Letter Ruling: A letter ruling is an IRS agent’s position to a taxpayer on a particular set of facts. A letter ruling binds the IRS, but is only persuasive authority for judges.
Case Law: Tax law can also originate in the courts. When federal appeals courts are charged with resolving federal tax law issues—the interpretation of a provision of the Code, or of a regulation, the opinions they issue have precedential value:
The Supreme Court has undoubtedly lurched toward conservatism in the past 20 years, but death penalty cases have larg... Read More
What Are They? What Are the Eligibility Requirements? To obtain either temporary or permanent lawful residency in the ... Read More
Immigration Document Can Help Protect Foreign Workers in America Foreign nationals working in the United States can oft... Read More
How It Works