When workers demand change, they can withhold their labor in the form of a labor strike. An increasing number of Americans are wondering if they can withhold their tax dollars in a tax strike.
We’ll give some history and advice in this blog, but the long story short is: There is no legal way to refuse to pay taxes.
Why Resist Taxes?
The decision to resist by refusing to pay taxes is almost always a moral and ethical one. Some of the most documented tax strikes in American history were among pacifist churches like the Quakers, and these strikes usually occurred during wartimes.
In the post-WWII era, a small group of objectors created an organization called the Peacemakers, and forty-one individuals who attended this 1948 conference committed to refuse payment of their federal income tax. This group became known as a Tax Refusal Committee. In 1963, the Peacemakers published Handbook on Nonpayment of War Taxes, the first handbook to guide war tax resistance.
Taxation Without Representation
The taxation of the American Colonies reached an impasse at the Boston Tea Party, when colonists dressed as Indigenous Americans dumped a shipment of tea into the harbor in refusal of a tea tax. Soon after, the Declaration of Independence claimed colonial sovereignty and began the American Revolution.
Many American citizens are still subject to taxation without representation. The residents of Washington, DC pay the highest per-capita federal income taxes in the US (in fact, they pay more in total federal income tax than the residents of 22 other states), with no voting representation in Congress.
It is extremely American to fight an unjust government by withholding financial support, yet that parallel escapes many modern United States citizens. It seems that millions of Americans are content to give up their civil liberties to a would-be king, so long as they agree with that so-called leader’s vision for a “Great” America.
How to Resist War Tax
The National War Tax Resistance offers advice and guidance to taxpayers who want to take a stand against our country’s priorities by withholding tax dollars. They also lay out the potential consequences of breaking the law when it comes to tax.
First, let’s explore legal means of protesting. These methods allow you to voice your concerns while still paying your taxes and are a good place to start your resistance.
- Include a letter of protest with your tax return (and send copies to your representatives as well)
- Write letters to the editor of your local and state newspapers about protesting war tax
- Lobby for legislation in support of a Peace Tax Fund
- Include a Peace Tax Return with your federal taxes
Somewhat more challenging, another method of legal tax resistance is to earn less than the threshold for taxable income. For 2025, you must file a federal tax return if you made $15,750 or more ($17,550 if you’re 65+). Some protestors who resist taxation live an extremely frugal life to keep their income below this level, so that they don’t have to pay income taxes.
(NOTE: It may be advantageous to file even under this threshold, especially if you are eligible for refundable credits—check with your tax pro or see the IRS’s Who Should File guidelines).
We recommend adjusting your withholding on your W-4 with your employer to reduce the amount of tax withheld from your paychecks, with the goal of contributing just what you will owe. This way, you aren’t offering the government an interest-free loan of your own money all year long. See our blog post, Make Your Tax Refund Work for You for further information on this option.
As a tax firm, we obviously can’t advise you to not pay your taxes due. What we can offer is year-round advising to help you keep as much of your hard-earned money for yourself and your financial goals as possible. Clients who file with us don’t just hear from us during tax season—we’re here for you all year.
If you’re interested in more aggressive methods of resistance, which we do not recommend because they are illegal, visit the War Tax Resistance Committee website, where they offer guidance on tax resistance and the potential consequences of resistance methods.