AT4P FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

"If a thousand [wo]men were not to pay their tax-bills this year, that would not be a violent and bloody measure, as it would be to pay them, and enable the State commit violence and shed innocent blood. This is, in fact, the definition of a peaceable revolution, if any such is possible."
--Henry David Thoreau, "On the Duty of Civil Disobedience"

DISCLAIMER: The information provided on this site is for educational purposes. ACOMT assumes no responsibility for the actions of those using this site. ACOMT is not an official entity in terms of the IRS.

1. What might happen to me if I join Austin Taxpayers for Peace (AT4P)?
All forms of War Tax Resistance (WTR) are considered illegal (except living below the taxable income level). The mission of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is to collect your taxes. The IRS says: "If there is any money owed, you will be sent a bill". You may be sent a bill that says how much you still owe, and what the penalties and interest are to date. For withholding $10.40 for one year, interest comes to $0.75 (at January 1, 2002 rates; rates subject to change quarterly, dependent on Federal short term loan rate), and penalty $0.64, for a total $11.79 due. An outstanding $10.40 plus change is not worth their time, energy, or money to hassle you, let alone do much to collect it. This is why we say it is a very low risk civil disobedience action. Some resisters around the country have been doing this for years, with no or few consequences other than form letters from the IRS, and about $10.50 deducted from last summer’s tax rebate.

The IRS is unpredictable, but we believe that this type of symbolic war tax resistance involving a very small amount of money is a low risk action. It is not worth their time and money to try to collect it, which is part of the reasoning behind the campaign -- to share a small amount of risk widely, since most people are not willing to resist 50-100% of their taxes. Some people around the country who have tried this technique have heard nothing, while others have received letters threatening a "frivolous filing" fine of $500. When this has been appealed, the IRS has actually apologized and removed the fine, as long as the tax form itself or the figures of the actual tax owed have not been altered. The consequences of redirecting $10.40 to peace and relief could include a levy, i.e., garnishing wages from your job, putting a lien on your bank account, or seizing anything of value that can be shown to be your property. You may have the resisted amount deducted from a future refund plus interest. The point of this is to educate any and everyone who might listen (and some who might not) of the true costs of war. There are possibilities of minimal financial consequences but virtually no legal consequences if you withhold the suggested symbolic amount.

WARNING: If you do war tax resistance, you may also experience a greater sense of community, empathy for and connection to the victims of war, and feelings of satisfaction, exhilaration and empowerment at confronting the war machine and honoring your conscience and celebrating your inalienable rights to religious freedom.

2. I'm afraid of the IRS. They took my tax-cheat uncle (wife, husband, aunt, etc.) for all they were worth. Isn't it too dangerous to cross the IRS? What support is available for me?

The anxiety of confronting a powerful government agency makes this action feel riskier than it really is. The IRS has successfully manipulated the national psyche into a state of heightened and irrational fear about its tactics, although some healthy awareness of their powers is important to have. The best tools for dealing with fear are education and mutual support. Austin Conscientious Objectors to Military Taxation (A C O M T) exists to support people who are conscientiously objecting to war by redirection of taxes, and has carefully considered this program. We offer one-on-one counseling, monthly meetings, printed materials and actions. Please be clear: WTR is a form of nonviolent civil disobedience in the traditions of Martin Luther King, Jr., Mohandas Gandhi, Dorothy Day, Cesar Chavez and others. As such, it is not legal, nor is it for the faint at heart. One should not enter into this hoping to evade taxes or to escape the responsibility for one's actions. Again, ACOMT is not liable for the actions of any individual taxpayer.

However, you may find a sense of freedom from doing this, and support from friends who may also participate in AT4P or others who are sympathetic with the action you are taking. Also, the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee (NWTRCC) offers a staff person, toll-free number (800) 269-7464, website and printed informational resources, even an updated manual, A Guide to Withholding Your Support from the Military to provide you with information about war tax resistance. You may also wish to consult a tax attorney or accountant. Keep in mind that the IRS is merely a collection agency for the war machine (among the other government programs that do make good use of some taxes). They just want the money, and at any time you can pay them and they will go away. The point is to resist war to the degree you are able and willing. From our experience, it seems hugely unlikely that they would put much if any energy into harassing you. They are very short on staff time, their computer system is antiquated, and they make collection of large amounts the biggest priority. However, one should be prepared for very quick action by the IRS like collection. It is also helpful to keep some perspective by asking oneself, "What are the risks of continuing to cooperate with the military-industrial complex?" Click here for a cost-benefit analysis.

3. Do I run a greater risk of being audited?

Probably not. It’s been our experience that WTRs don’t get audited, regardless of their income bracket. This may be since our returns go directly into the ACS Automated Collection System and bypass the "random audit" stream.

4. I’ve been stretching the truth on my returns/been in previous trouble with the IRS. Should I do this?

See the above regarding audits. The IRS makes no distinction between tax evasion and principled war tax resistance. If you are concerned about this, one way to handle it is to pay your tax obligation as usual, and include a letter saying you are paying under protest due to objection to war. Also, consider phone tax resistance as mentioned above. Lend your support to our campaign by simply donating $10.40 for the peace and relief efforts the fund will support.

5. Will I go to jail?

No. Only a handful of war tax resisters over the last 60 years have gone to jail. They were jailed not for refusing to pay, but refusing to comply with orders to show up in court or to produce certain documents. These were people who owed thousands of dollars over many years time, and on principle made themselves "uncollectable" and refused to cooperate with the IRS or the court acting as war-tax collectors. Cooperation with IRS stops their legal actions against you, and they proceed with collections process, often involving them making a deal to reduce fines and penalties. But again, this is with WTRs taking much larger risks. While we cannot predict how the US will continue to expand its efforts to quash dissent under the PATRIOT Act and other draconian anti-civil liberties laws, the backlash, ridicule and community outrage that would come from the government attempting to jail $10.40 resisters would greatly fuel the movement and is therefore a powerful deterrent to any threats of or actual imprisonment.

6. Will I lose my house, car, children, pet, favorite possessions, etc.?

No. Legally, the IRS can come after only those possessions of value equivalent to what’s owed. They must notify you of a lien against your property before any seizure; and then you could choose to pay and stop collections process. This is mathematically impossible unless you resist a higher amount or incur fines by altering your tax form. You may have to appeal a "frivolous fine" of $500, which others have had dismissed as previously explained.

7. I’m dependent on Social Security. Will I jeopardize my benefits?

New legislation allows the IRS to take money owed them out of Social Security payments, up to 15% of your Social Security, so the answer is maybe. Attempts to seize wages have failed, although that may have changed recently. Some WTRs opt out of or resist paying SSI taxes, since the government has raided the fund to pay for wars. Please consult a tax lawyer or accountant familiar with the law, or contact NWTRCC.

8. I am a resident/student visa/other non-citizen. Should I do this?

At this time, we do not recommend any civil disobedience unless you are a U.S. citizen, due to the heightened negative attention paid to immigrants by the US government. However, recent news suggests that tax problems are not a deportable offense. Please consult an attorney.

9. How is AT4P different from other forms of war tax resistance?
The major difference is that this is a mass campaign of many people resisting a small amount, instead of a few people resisting a large amount. We hope a good quantity of people will participate publicly and help generate publicity around the campaign. Within the WTR movement, withheld tax amounts range from the lower levels we are advocating to some people who refuse to pay 50-100% of their tax liability. There are several people in A C O M T who have resisted war taxes well over $10,000 for over a decade with little action until lately. Some have had wages garnished while others have not, but all survive just fine and live pretty normal lives. Compared to that, $10.40 is merely a pittance and nothing to worry about. The AT4P campaign is similar to the idea of phone tax resistance (listed as "federal excise 3%" on phone bill). During the Vietnam War this type of mass action drew as many as half a million people or more including notables like Joan Baez. Those not willing to participate in AT4P may wish to consider phone tax resistance by exploring their new campaign, Hang Up On War. Those willing and able to do more are certainly encouraged to investigate the various methods and levels of war tax resistance further.

10. If I'm expecting a refund this year how can I participate in the Austin Taxpayers for Peace Campaign? What if I don't make enough to pay taxes?
You can redirect $10.40 to AT4P now, like others who are not expecting a refund (please note this with your donation if you join). When filing your 1040, include a letter requesting an additional refund of $10.40 with an explanation of why you do not want to support war. Do NOT add this to your tax form otherwise you might incur frivolous filing penalties. You most likely won't be given the additional refund you request in the letter. By sending a letter which may or not be noticed, you are taking a symbolic action. So that you can have a choice to redirect money from your taxes next year you may wish to change your W-4 form with your employer now. However, this is illegal, and should not be undertaken without further understanding and consultation. See the NWTRCC publication Controlling Federal Tax Withholding, which is available for free download online. You may also call A C O M T or NWTRCC at the number above.

If you consciously choose to make under the taxable income level (around $7,950 for a single person in 2003) to avoid payment for war, congratulations! You are already a war tax resister. For many low-income and poor people who make this amount of money or less, however, they are already resisting an economic system that favors the well-off and the military-industrial complex, and may not be able to spare any change for political protest.

11. War tax resistance seems ineffective. Does it work?

That depends on your definition of "work". One person not paying for war will not make a difference nationwide, however, to that person who honors his or her conscience, it will make a big difference. And if that person writes some letters about her/his action, then others are affected. A pebble is dropped into the pond of awareness and makes ripples. Imagine the inner peace of all 10,000 Austinites who protested war in February of 2003 honoring their consciences, and the example of peace that would come from their refusal to pay a portion of their war taxes. Imagine the ripples from their writing 50,000 letters (one congressperson, two senators, president and newspaper editor) and talking to their families and friends. Imagine the 1,000,000 of us doing that across the nation. No social movement succeeds over night. Rosa Parks did not simply get on the bus in Selma and liberate all African-Americans everywhere. Suffrage for women took 42 years. We will not get instant results in Congress, but we will be heard, possibly around the world. If we do nothing, the status quo of war and killing with your tax dollars arming the worlds will definitely continue, however. Continuing to pray and work for peace while paying half our taxes for war is a sure way to remain ineffective. The yearning for peaceful solutions does exist in most people and many, if not all, of our lawmakers. We need to stir it awake and meanwhile we should not wait, but rather start putting our own money where our mouths, hearts and minds already are. What better way in this capitalist culture to confront the war machine than with our own money, the language government and business understand most? There are many forms of protest. We believe this one has a great potential and been overlooked by the peace movement, and the time has come for an Austin Tea Party!

Also see:

Some thoughts Cost-benefit analysis

The role of civil disobedience in a democracy

Still more questions? Call (512) 467-2946 or email austintax4peace[at]yahoo.com.

To join Austin Taxpayers for Peace, click here.

Information on this page (and this program, in part) was adapted from Axis of Peace and One Million Taxpayers for Peace, whom we thank profusely for their efforts.