One of the top questions we get at NWTRCC is, “If I don’t pay the IRS, won’t I go to jail?” Our response: “People who are first considering war tax resistance often have the mistaken impression that people who refuse to pay their taxes from motives of conscience are at great risk of going to… Continue reading
Federal Income Tax
Tax resistance in the age of Trump
Over the past month, I’ve been ruminating on the possibilities of war tax resistance in a Trump presidency. At first I was concerned: for folks who are concerned about a diminishing tax base and slashed social services, the idea of further defunding the government might seem ill-timed, at best. However, many people who are not… Continue reading
Reasons to Celebrate
Somehow the IRS is attuned to vacations and holidays. They like to surprise you with their letters, bills and perhaps stronger demands just when you’re in a good mood or feeling relaxed. Like last week: I came back from vacation to a pile of 10 “Amount Due” letters from the IRS (not sure what our… Continue reading
Understanding common IRS collection letters
Most war tax resisters who refuse federal income taxes will eventually (or quickly) get a letter from the IRS. Here I describe some of the most common letters one tax-return-filing resister has gotten over the past few years. Resisters who do not file tax returns may get letters more slowly or not at all, until… Continue reading
Resisting in Dreamland
Home ownership might seem like a mundane topic while confronted with the latest news headlines, but most of us in war tax resistance see life choices as inextricably linked to global issues, so let’s see where this goes. I saw the movie The Big Short a while ago. I totally don’t understand what those guys… Continue reading
Tax Day 2016 – photos, articles, interviews
Last year on tax day in New York City there was a long line of people outside the IRS waiting to get inside for forms or to have questions answered. This year there was no line at all. Does that mean the IRS was more efficient? Or was it because people didn’t really notice that… Continue reading
Infographic: Invest in People, Divest from War
Revised 1/5/2017 The full text of the infographic follows the image. You can also download a PDF. Invest in People, Divest from the Pentagon Redirect your taxes from war to peace! What is divestment? Divestment is the opposite of investment. Instead of putting money into something, hoping to get future benefits and security, you take… Continue reading
How can I divest from the Pentagon?
NWTRCC chose the theme “Divest from the Pentagon, Invest in People” for our 2016 Days of War Tax Action. Divestment (also called disinvestment) has been used to galvanize big changes, like abolishing apartheid in South Africa. Today, it’s used in the movements against fossil fuels and Israeli occupation of Palestine, where supporters pressure institutions and… Continue reading
Building connections at a San Diego teach-in
by Anne Barron (Introductory editorial note: On February 15, Activist San Diego hosted a teach-in about war tax resistance, organized by Anne Barron, a war tax resistance counselor and NWTRCC network activist. The promotional materials said: “Communities around the world are resisting American militarism. Join us in a discussion of how each one of us… Continue reading
Collection Is Not a Resistance Failure
I was wondering what war tax resisters were thinking about in 1996, which is as far back as our archived newsletter archives go. (Answer: pretty much the same things in different contexts!) I came across a piece on the effectiveness of war tax resistance from Sallie Marx and Robert Hieger of New York City War… Continue reading
Video: Complicity and Collection – Religious Freedom and Tax
At our November 2015 conference in Las Vegas, University of Nevada – Las Vegas law professor Jennifer Carr spoke to us about her research paper, “Complicity and Collection: Religious Freedom and Tax.” Our audio recording of her talk and the ensuing discussion is now available online, synced up with slides from her PowerPoint. This is… Continue reading
New Collection Challenges
For years war tax resisters (or potential resisters) have worried about travel abroad. Will my tax debt show up in a passport check when leaving or returning to the U.S.? Despite reassurances that many of us travel abroad and this has not been an issue, the fear lingered in the minds of many. Unfortunately, on… Continue reading
