War Tax Resistance

fatgirl_lover · #1 10-14-2007, 02:26 AM

Hi I am wondering about this topic. What are the options for somebody who strongly opposes the war in Iraq and doesn't want to support it by paying taxes? As far as I can tell someone can refuse to pay in which case some combination of them going to jail and their assets being seized will take place. Or they could leave the country and take all their money and not come back.

fatgirl_lover · #2 10-14-2007, 02:39 AM

http://www.warresisters.org/what_is.htm

that's a pretty good site on it. seems hard for a person who actually has money to do tax resistance because they have so much to lose. as far as i can tell, most people who do tax resistence withold a token amount just ot make a statement, or they don't have that much money to begin with. people who actually have money would probably have their assets taken by the IRS.

yukoncpa · #3 10-14-2007, 02:57 AM

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people who actually have money would probably have their assets taken by the IRS.

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Offshore corporations in the Caribbean.

fatgirl_lover · #4 10-14-2007, 03:15 AM

but yukoncpa, if a person had significant money then the case would become more worthwhile and important to the IRS so they IRS would press crimanl charges and put them in jail, and also the person could not own real estate in the US or a car or anything of value cause the government could then just take it... no?

yukoncpa · #5 10-14-2007, 03:24 AM

[ QUOTE ]
but yukoncpa, if a person had significant money then the case would become more worthwhile and important to the IRS so they IRS would press crimanl charges and put them in jail, and also the person could not own real estate in the US or a car or anything of value cause the government could then just take it... no?

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You are correct. The IRS loves to target tax protesters. A basic step in tax avoidence is: Keep your mouth shut about being a tax protester. Or be broke. Like the song says, "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose."

fatgirl_lover · #6 10-14-2007, 03:36 AM

Yeah but a very good reason to protest taxes is to send a statemetn that you are willing to put yourself in a tough situation because you are so opposed to the war and supporting it by paying taxes. So the "keep your mouth shut" is against the spirit of the activity.

MidGe · #7 10-14-2007, 07:28 AM

Looking at this post I think you are getting it all wrong.

When it comes to the Iraq war, I think we are so close to an admitted, although it is already a de facto, loss to the USA, that it becomes a matter of who in the world will have to carry the can for war reparations and remediations for the problems created. I am all in support that all in the coalition of the willing, that went against the world sentiment, by interfering in the internal politics of a sovereign nation, under false pretense (WMD etc..) and resulted in the destruction of a nation as well as the killing of in excess of 500,000 over and above those who would be killed under the then existing regime, SHOULD pay for it, in proportion to their involvement. I expect Australians to have to pay extra taxes to put things right, but I am glad we won't be able to pay anywhere near what the individuals US taxpayers will have to pay!

W brad · #8 10-14-2007, 08:11 AM

The best way to protest taxes is to talk other people into protesting taxes. Then they will take all the personal risks upon themselves.

One way to do this is to post about this issue in a forum like the 2+2 politics forum. Get the ball rolling for others to do your protest for you.

Kudos to the OP for his effective protesting technique. [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

MidGe · #9 10-14-2007, 08:17 AM

W_brad,

I don't mind as long as the US starts to take responsibilities and is held to account when it looses a war (ie Korea, Vietnam, Bay of Pigs, Iraq)! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

BPA234 · #10 10-14-2007, 09:07 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Hi I am wondering about this topic. What are the options for somebody who strongly opposes the war in Iraq and doesn't want to support it by paying taxes? As far as I can tell someone can refuse to pay in which case some combination of them going to jail and their assets being seized will take place. Or they could leave the country and take all their money and not come back.

[/ QUOTE ]

IMO, you should find another way to protest. Your unpaid tax, if discovered, will be a non-dischargeable debt that will accrue penalties and interest and compound annually. All of which will, upon discovery, be applied retroactively to the date that the tax was incurred. Depending on the size of the liability and your ability to earn an income, you could end up in a position where you will never be able to pay off the debt.

In addition, in order to satisfy the tax, the IRS can and will garnish wages, file a tax lien, seize assets and liquidate your property. Finally, if you should die before your tax is paid, the IRS will seize your estate and be first in line for payment.

Long after your politics and the geo-political environment has changed, you will still owe this debt. Seems like a meaningless pyhrric victory at best.