An Interesting Number

Apparently, it costs the IRS, on average, about $6900 to defend against a frivolous tax protester law suit. Here's a blip from the recently decided US v. Edwards*:

In support of its motion, the government has presented evidence that, "[a]ccording to the records of the Tax Division of the Department of Justice, the average expense in attorney salaries and other costs incurred by [the government] in the defense of frivolous appeals in which sanctions were ordered during 2001 and 2002 (the latest period for which figures are available) was approximately $6,900."

In response, the taxpayer said that it's not his fault they put so much manpower into the case, referencing the fact that the IRS had at least three attorneys working on the case who produced a twenty-six page brief. Interestingly, the IRS only asked for, and the court ordered, $6000 in penalties.


*Decided in the 10th Cicuit Court of Appeals, District of Wyoming. No citation available yet.