Question

what could happen to a person who could not pay his taxes

Answer 1

They would go to jail and the irs would take everything they have

Answer 2

If you file your taxes but don't pay them, the IRS will charge you a failure-to-pay penalty. The penalty is 0.5 percent of your unpaid taxes for each month you don't pay, up to 25 percent. Plus, you'll owe interest on the unpaid amount