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I believe it has been stated times before on this site that Dina DeMalchusa Dina does apply to paying taxes.

However, I noticed in this answer that it must be enforced in practice to apply. With that in mind, does receiving small payments require reporting halachically to the IRS, with the understanding that they very rarely if ever actually enforce these reportings?

This answer claims that taxes in general are enforced, but is this subset of tax-law, reporting of multiple small incomes (less than $600 each) considered enforced as well?

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  • I can see how this might be marked as off topic, if understood as asking for clarification about how he IRS enforces. However, I think what I am really asking is ON-topic and is essentially, "What is the halachic definition of 'enforced'". If someone feels that needs to be edited in to be clearer, feel free.
    – andrewmh20
    Commented Jun 4, 2015 at 22:02
  • Related: judaism.stackexchange.com/q/38386/2246
    – andrewmh20
    Commented Jun 4, 2015 at 22:08
  • Do they not investigate these small amounts, or do they actually not prosecute someone who has been found doing this? If someone is the subject of a random audit, and all they found was this, what would happen?
    – user6591
    Commented Jun 4, 2015 at 23:06
  • @user6591 if the government for some reason wants to check up on you and put you away they will, otherwise, possibly not.
    – Moshe Goldberg
    Commented Jun 4, 2015 at 23:24
  • How about instead of income tax an even smaller tax is sales tax
    – Moshe Goldberg
    Commented Jun 4, 2015 at 23:28

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Even if it won't be much enforced, you shouldn't do it - it is a Chilul Hashem if they find you especially with today's media. Also I heard before but I don't remember where that a Jew can't steal (aka withhold the tax which is payment for being a part of this country and withholding payment is stealing) from a gentile although he doesn't have to return something to one. I can slightly prove it from Mishnayos Bava Kama where it says that you don't have to pay if you're on gores a gentile's ox. If the Mishnah states something which is out of our control as a Chidush that you don't have to pay then a bigger Chidush where you yourself are doing the act that the Mishnah doesn't say it means that you ant just say the chidush of being able to withhold tax/steal from a gentile.

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