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“The IRS has a huge collection process that lasts for years and at every stage of that collection process, the war tax resister has a choice about what to do. So that’s why I believe that it’s really a one step at a time kind of thing, and that imagining the worst possible consequences before you even begin the process is paralyzing. And it doesn’t let your conscience struggle with doubts one by one.”

—Bill Ramsey, from Death & Taxes

Consequences of War Tax Resistance

Direct action for peace often entails exposure to unpredictable risks. War tax resistance is no exception, and some of the most common risks include:

• Receiving a stream of tax due notices, which include notices of civil penalties up to 25% of the unpaid tax, plus compound interest.
• Seizure of wages, bank accounts, or other property after the IRS sends a “final demand” notice.
• If the IRS catches up with nonfilers, they will be told to file for any number of years and may face stiff fines.
• If the IRS suspects a false or inflated W-4 form, the agency may require the employer to adjust it to the minimum allowance so as to allow for the maximum withholding.
• Returns that claim an unallowable deduction, blank returns, or returns with political messages written on them may lead to an additional “frivolous filing” penalty as high as $5,000. Sometimes even a letter of protest enclosed with a tax form can generate a “frivolous” warning letter from the IRS. (Click here for more information)
• Federal prosecutions — whether civil (e.g., IRS v. Hedemann) or criminal — are possible, but for war tax resisters they are so rare that in most cases the risk is negligible.
• Being ignored or overlooked by the IRS.

The consequences of war tax resistance can vary by which method you choose, individual circumstances, and the whims or inconsistencies of IRS procedures, resources, and abilities. A rule of thumb is that “what they can do and what they will do” can be two very different things. One of the beauties of war tax resistance is also that at any point you can adjust your method of resistance or “bail out” by paying up if circumstances change.

(See Resisters Taken to Court or Jailed and Property Seizures against Resisters since World War II.)

Many resisters conclude that the positive consequences outweigh the negative:

• Resisters often redirect their resisted taxes to meet human needs.
• Resistance may motivate others to act, or may provide new opportunities to communicate your beliefs to others.
• Feelings of empowerment, liberation, and personal integrity may themselves compensate for any penalties.

More information on consequences and dealing with consequences can be found through:

• Profiles of resisters on this website
• The book War Tax Resistance: A Guide to Withholding Your Support from the Military
• Talking with a war tax counselor and other war tax resisters
• The pamphlet “How to Resist Collection, or Make the Most of Collection When It Occurs”
• War tax resistance pages on the War Resisters League website
• NWTRCC’s film Death and Taxes