The IRS sent back my tax return saying I owed $800. I said “If you’ll notice, I sent a paper clip with my return. Given what you’ve been paying for things lately, that should more than make up the difference.”

Emo Philips jokes that he answered an $800 tax bill by pointing to the paper clip he'd enclosed. He claims it should cover the difference, since the IRS supposedly pays so much for ordinary items. The humour is in treating a tiny office supply as real payment.

Context reviewed 28 September 2026