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US man pays tax bill using five wheelbarrows of coins

bbc.com

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Re: US man pays tax bill using five wheelbarrows of coins

#31

Post by alkonaut »

crystalmeph wrote: post #24
alkonaut wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Surely he was also required to pay the extra costs for the transaction at the receiving end? I can't imagine the authority was somehow required to accept his coin payment, and not only accept but do it for free?

Yes, they were required to accept it. They are collecting taxes for the government (I'm not sure if the VA DMV is directly run by the government, or is a contractor doing business for the government, but it doesn't make a difference in this case), which means they have to accept legal US money, in any denomination, because of this section of US code, which he mentions on his website[0]: As per section 31 U.S.C. 5103…

I can see how US law requires public entities to accept cash, but it's not clear whether they are allowed to charge transction fees for "expensive" transactions (othewise those transactions are subsidied by others)

Also: does the law imply that every public entity that you pay taxes to in the US must have a physical office somewhere that you can go pay with cash? Mind blown.

Re: US man pays tax bill using five wheelbarrows of coins

#32

Post by loeg »

alxmdev wrote: post #26
loeg wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US really ought to do away with pennies, and probably nickels as well. This stunt would be 10x less silly with dimes.

Canada did away with pennies: http://www.mint.ca/store/mint/about-the-mint/phasing-out-the... From Wikipedia: Production of the penny ceased in May 2012, and the Royal Canadian Mint ceased the distribution of them as of February 4, 2013. However, like all discontinued currency in the Canadian monetary system, the coin remains legal tender. Once distribution of the coin ceased, though, vendors no longer were expected…

Many countries in the eurozone price round to avoid the smallest coins as well: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro_coins#Price_rounding

Re: US man pays tax bill using five wheelbarrows of coins

#34

Post by sean_patel »

knappe wrote: post #4
sean_patel wrote: post #3

> Nick Stafford's coin payment required 11 people who were hired to break open the paper rolls of the coins, taking four hours. So you are telling me this 'Businessman' wasted 11 peeps x 4 hours x 10$ min wage = $440, to 'make a statement' to IRS and pay his $400 tax bill with pennies / coins?! What kind of a businessman does that? What a waste of man power.

"$3,000 tax bill using five wheelbarrows containing 300,000 coins." Right in the caption. A smart business man. He has gotten a lot of free publicity out of it.

> free publicity out of it.

Ok what free publicity? For his business? Do we even know what his business is? No website. No name.

I meant that he wasted labor time (and money). That's not a smart business man. If he had had a plug for his business website or service in all the news, then it's smart and you can say "publicity for $440. Otherwise, it's just a stupid stunt that wasted everyone's time -- the IRS, the media, you and me (reading it and reacting to it).

Re: US man pays tax bill using five wheelbarrows of coins

#35

Post by sean_patel »

cellularmitosis wrote: post #14
abfan1127 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

one who is fed up with dealing with an overwhelming bureaucracy.

And one who solves his problems by harassing rank-and-file employees who have no authority to address his problem.

Exactly! He wasted the rank-and-file employees time and probably caused them aggravation. They should sue for bodily harm -- thumb and fingers and wrists sore from counting his stupid coins.
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