What are the rules on claiming Native American ethnicity on tax forms?
Recently I discovered that some of my ancestors were full-blood Native Americans who walked the Trail of Tears from Mississippi to Oklahoma. I have records with roll numbers for all of the my relatives born from these ancestors, and naturally I’m interested in acquiring birth/death/marriage certificates to prove my blood relation and tribal origins.
Does anybody know how the government law dictates who is legally entitled to claim Native American ethnity on Fedral/State tax forms and other official documents? In the past never registered as Native American, because I thought a person had to be pure 100% blood to claim it. Does the government require a certain quantum of Native American blood origin, or do they simply require some kind of roll/census number that properly proves I’ve already established my my Native American racial origin that is certified by my tribe?
More importantly, if you have any advice on how to go about establishing proof for my family’s genealogy, I would appreciate it. So far all I have is what my parents have given me where are a photocopies of letters written by ancestors, drawings of family trees, newspaper articles with photos, and roll numbers. Nobody seems to have any knowledge of who our ancestors were five generations back.
you are only native if you are enrolled in a federally recognized nation. and even if you are you will pay taxes like all the rest of us.
i’m enrolled mohawk and pay all the same taxes as my non native neighbors. the myth that we don’t pay taxes is a lie just like the lie that we get checks from the government. spread to make idiots hate us.
ETA: i file taxes every year. there is no race on those forms. when it comes to "green" no other color matters to the government. have you ever filed?
You must be a member of an accepted tribe. You could take your research to which ever tribe you have the strongest proof with and ask to speak to an elder.
References :
Typically, you have to be at least 1/16 (maybe even 1/8) native. If your most recent ancestors were all the way back in the 1800s, then it looks like you’ll have to pay taxes just liek the rest of us.
Sorry.
References :
YOU HAVE TO BE 1/8 OF BLOOD TO REGISTER AND THE DOCUMENTS YOU HAVE SEEM PROOF ENOUGH, GOOGLE YOUR TRIBE TO SEE IF THEY HAVE A WEB SITE, OR GOOGLE A REGISTRY SITE.
References :
1. Tax forms do not ask for ethnicity and all people, including Natives, pay taxes.
2. The legal definition of an American Indian is an enrolled member/citizen of a US Federally Recognized Tribe. If you are enrolled in a US Federally Recognized Tribe you can legally claim to be an American Indian. (You will still have to pay taxes even if you are enrolled in a US Federally Recognized Tribe.) If you are not enrolled in a US Federally Recognized Tribe you cannot legally claim to be an American Indian.
3. The government does not require a certain quantum of Native blood but individual tribes may. If the tribe says you’re one of them the US Government concurs. The US Government does not generally recognize individuals as American Indians without a tribe vouching for that person.
4. Your ancestor’s documents are your ancestor’s documents. You need your own documents certifying that YOU are recognized by your tribe.
5. Establishing proof is entirely up to you. Once you have all of your documents linking you to a known enrolled tribal member you need to contact the tribe that person was enrolled in. The tribe will/can only assist those who come with all information complete and in hand.
References :
Enrolled tribal member
Tax payer
Brings Light is 100% correct…
References :
enrolled tribal member
and tax payer
you are only native if you are enrolled in a federally recognized nation. and even if you are you will pay taxes like all the rest of us.
i’m enrolled mohawk and pay all the same taxes as my non native neighbors. the myth that we don’t pay taxes is a lie just like the lie that we get checks from the government. spread to make idiots hate us.
ETA: i file taxes every year. there is no race on those forms. when it comes to "green" no other color matters to the government. have you ever filed?
References :