Survey: 70% of Americans Say Decision to Commit Tax Fraud Came Down to Laptop’s Battery Life
A majority of Americans who sent their financial information to the IRS acknowledge they declined to provide all of their sources of income because their laptop battery was nearly dead and the charger was all the way on the other side of the room, a Washington Post/ABC News/Presidential Fitness Test survey found.
“I just wanted to be done with it, and not have to go through that extra hassle while already lying comfortably on the couch,” one respondent said. “Why risk losing all my progress if my laptop dies as I’m trying to enter my freelance, gambling and cryptocurrency earnings? Why risk rushing through it, making a mistake, and costing myself even more? Definitely not worth it, in my opinion.”
Although the tax filing deadline was extended by a month, this didn’t seem to change anyone’s plans for how they approached it.
“I opened up seven YouTube tabs while I filed,” another person recalled. “Two for music, one for Vine compilations, another for road rage incidents, and the rest for Academy Awards acceptance speeches, Nathan For You clips and infomercials for Ronco Cutlery. Those ate up a ton of battery, I know. But what was the alternative? Get it done all in one go? No thanks.”
Concerns about being audited also went by the wayside, with one man explaining he was more worried about throwing out his back while getting up to grab his charger.
“With the healthcare system as it is, that would cost so much more than what I owe in taxes, even with a fifteen percent penalty,” he said. “I know better than to take part in such a risky activity.”
Many survey respondents explained that using their desktop computers simply wasn’t an option since they haven’t been turned on since the Obama administration and probably don’t even work.
