Information on Reducing Taxes as a Form of Political Protest?

[Farmgirl]

Here is a question I have been mulling over for awhile. How can I, or how can we, as citizenry who oppose Bushco. and oppose OUR tax dollars supporting an illegal war for OIL protest with our dollars?

I suppose one option is to refuse to pay my taxes, but then of course we'd have "big brother" all over us and get stuck with penalties and what not. So, within the "legal" framework of tax exemptions, tax deductions, claiming dependents, home business shelters, etc. I would like to show my opposition to our government by giving them as little of my hard earned dollars as possible (and then support those honorable causes worth supporting.

So, who out there has expertise in this area? What support systems or organizations currently exist for this purpose? I'm kind of newbie to all this. I do have a couple of small home businesses (small farm, small home business, home rental) and we have two children. So, I know that I can up my dependents (re-do my W-4 form) and think creatively of where to put expenses. But I'm really wanting a more comprehsive approach and a way to guide others.

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[LoZoccolo]

1. This is the classic guide.

http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=62-007144100x-0

[LoZoccolo]

4. Also, I should add.

I've seen certain tax software like TurboTax include an electronic version of this - you might want to look for it.

[no_hypocrisy]

2. One definite gesture: donate the amount you would've paid for federal

taxes to a tax-exempt charity that embraces democratic principles. You're still spending the money, but you get to choose to deny it to the government by a tax deduction. Check with a tax consultant to be sure though.

[FloridaPat]

13. You still have to pay taxes on income after allowed expenses.

So even if you owed $10,000 in taxes and gave it to a charity, all you would get would be $10,000 off your income and still have to pay taxes on what's left after that.

[4morewars]

3. Here's two groups:

National Campaign For A Peace Tax Fund

www.peacetaxfund.org

*************************************************

National War Tax Resistance

www.nwtrcc.org

[Farmgirl]

8. Thank you all for this information....

Yes, I'm not opposed to paying taxes for just causes, such as health care, environmental causes, etc. If this thread is of value to anyone else out there contemplating the same, let's keep it going awhile and compile useful resources and links.

You all are wonderful!

:yourock:

[Ian David]

9. State and Union Pension Funds, etc

Lobby your state legislators, union leaders, corporate officers, churches, and mutual fund managers to divest themselves of companies that support regressive companies, and to dump municipal bonds in the red states. This includes purging these red state / regressive pukes from our pension funds.

States such as Connecticut have paved the way in this sort of activism.

Here are a couple never before tried long-shots:
We also need to lobby to abolish federal disaster relief in exchange for regional relief programs, and to similarly reform highway and education funding. After all, Republicans believe in SMALLER GOVERNMENT, right?

[stellanoir]

5. I'm guessing,

but you might want to try to determine your taxes for '04 before the end of December. That way you can make charitable donations in the amount that you would normally owe, to amnesty international or some other nonprofit before the end of the year.

Too bad our government is working towards impunity with the ICC and that they aren't a nonprofit.

[mhr]

6. Short Of Becoming A Tax Protester Outright Or Sheltering

Income in offshore accounts, there is very little that most taxpayers can do. Most of the good middle class tax shelters were eliminated by Reagan in the 80s. It sounds like you are doing all you can legally.

Now if you were a Republican that would not stop you from doing all that you could illegally.

The only advice I can give is to start doing more business in cash. Since the bulk of our daily expenses are usually the bulk of most people's income, find ways to be compensated in cash and then use that cash for the daily needs.

[NJCher]

7. this is a great idea

I'd be willing to work with you research-wise to come up with ideas. There's a forum or group here devoted to "starving the beast" and I think this kind of ongoing research and discussion might be appropriate there.

I haven't had to worry about it too much because bush's recession has me working for 20% of what I used to make. Not a lot to pay taxes on. But I would like to make more money and I don't want it going to support this war. That's where my interests lie--somewhere in how to legally write off what I make or know where the point is that I'll have to start paying in (and then stop making $$).


Cher

[AP]

10. A lilberal protest would be to OVERPAY your taxes since bankrupting US

is part of the Republican plan for destroying America.

[Ian David]

12. Over-paying taxes as protest?

Please explain more of why over-paying taxes would be a good idea?

Also, what if people bought huge amounts of treasury bonds, and then cashed them out early?

Or if huge numbers of people all dumped their treasury bonds on exactly the same day?

Or if huge numbers of people bough municpal debt bonds for say, Arlington, Virgina and then dumped them all on the same day?

Or if just Mr. Soros did this?

I'm just exploring hypotheticals, of course.

[asjr]

11. No one likes taxes and I must agree with you on our dollars

going to an illegal war. Basically at this time it is a matter of the administration which is in charge. They gave tax breaks to the people who needed them less than the majority of people in this country. They squandered a tax surplus meant to help those of us who need it. I think people have forgotten what tax dollars are for. They run the government, whoever is in charge of the presidency. They are for the people, not those in power. The first president I remember is Franklin Roosevelt. The first war I remember was WW2. I lived through it. Up until Reagan those tax dollars were imperative for running the country for all of us. It started downhill then until Clinton. He left us better off than we have been in decades. Schools were better off, early childhood programs were better and there was a general feeling of well-being. Now Social Security is in trouble--there is actually no money there and borrowing more money from other countries will not help. My children and grandchildren have been enslaved in order to keep the next generations going. Taxes are not the problem. It is who is in charge of dispensing them. This is the most corrupt administration in my lifetime and sometimes I think the ones who put them back in office are also going to suffer. This administration stole elections 2000 and 2004. Unless people wake up and realize that we are going further downhill. We here at DU understand that and try to awaken others, but if they don't listen they will learn the hard way. I suppose I really didn't answer you questions, but I do not know how to answer them. I didn't intend for this to become a rant.

[Farmgirl]

16. Thanks asjr for your perspective...

and I do agree with you. I am not opposed to paying taxes. I see what is happening here in Oregon when folks keep rolling back property taxes. Our public schools are an absolute disaster. My husband and I made the difficult choice to send our 9-year old to a small private school, because the public schools absolute fail (primarily because they have too little funding). We were so very fortunate to get some financial help, as there is no way we could otherwise afford private school tuition.

You are right, it is the people in charge that have squandered OUR money. But in the meantime, I am so deeply frustrated and angry -- and I do NOT want my tax dollars going to support an illegal war. If we allow that, we have a certain complicity in it all. So, my point is to the degree possible I want to take back my country. I want to empower myself to use my hard earned dollars to support those very causes near and dear to my heart, and I suspect to many of us at DU. That is really the heart of the matter.

:kick:

[asjr]

20. I hope you do not think I was critical of you Farmgirl. Far from it.

I empathize with you. I understand what you are going through.

[FloridaPat]

14. There was a protest during the Vietnam War. People refused to

pay the percentage of their taxes that went to the war. I remember hearing about it, but never heard much more one way or the other. They seemed to have a valid reason why they could hold back money for taxes. But it was too long ago to remember everything.

And most people on a payroll can't determine too much of anything. They could up the exemptions so they're not paying, but they still have to fill out that form.

[ginnyinWI]

19. but did that actually do anything to end the war?

I guess I'm looking at effecting change, not just trying to do what feels right for my own life.
What ended the Vietnam war was the efforts of the VVAW and other groups who gained the sympathies of the media and Congress, as well as popular opinon.

[AndyTiedye]

23. Refusing Just Causes Penalties To Accrue, & they Always Collect Eventually

Outright resistance just allows them to get more of your money.
Best to be scrupulously legal.

Municipal bonds are tax-exempt, and since they are for specific projects,
you can choose what your money is funding. Cities need help these days.
That said, I am uneasy about bonds at the moment for obvious reasons.

Foreign income is subject to foreign taxes, which may be creditable
against US tax under double-taxation agreements. I am not sure to
what extent (if any) the taxpayer has discretion as to which government
to pay.

Obviously, it would behove you to consult a sympathetic tax professional.

[FloridaPat]

15. If you have a couple of small businesses, you should be paying

next to nothing anyhow. Are you incorporated? Do you pay your children for heloping with the businesses? You can take up to $3,000 a year (I think) for each child and it's tax free for you and the child. Any vacations having to do with your businesses are deductions.

Remember - for every dollar a business spends it only has to make $1. For every dollar an individual spends, we have to make $1.50.

[Farmgirl]

18. Well....we have a rental house on our farm property

where we live, and we do declare that on our taxes....maybe there are other ways around that. We also have a commercial greenhouse and we now have 25 laying hens. I also have a small internet business (e-commerce for goods and services) that more or less paves its own way. I do think we could be more savvy when it comes to payments and expenses.

No, we don't pay our children to help, as they are 9 and 3 years old -- what about child labor laws? :-)

I'm not sure I understand the bit about every dollar spend it has to make $1 (business), every dollar an individual spends, we have to make $1.50. Can you clarify?

:kick:

[NJCher]

21. child labor laws

In NJ, a very liberal state, children can work in a family business. I think the only requirement is that the family business cannot interfere with school.


Cher

[FloridaPat]

22. The money that a corporation spends - comes off their gross

income before taxes. You and I pay taxes first and then buy something. Our taxes being around 50% we need to make $1.50 to spend a dollar. (Taxes - 15% for SS - counting both sides. Medicare - 3% counting both sides. Sales taxes, income taxes and whatever else munches your income).

As for the kids - you can pay them $3,000 each per year for helping your businesses. They don't pay taxes because you don't pay taxes on $3,000. It's an expense for your business, so you get a deduction of $6,000. Don't have to worry about child labor laws in this case. I have some really good accountants and go to tax seminairs every so often.

Don't forget your travel expenses, depreciation, buying computers, isp connect fees, etc

[ginnyinWI]

17. Taxation without representation, same as the colonies faced.

And we have our own King George, just like they did. And they threw their tea into Boston Harbor to protest the taxes on it, and got media attention, their most powerful tool.
So is it also today--so I'd say pay your taxes, but raise a big stink about it--protest the war, protest wrecking the environment, protest whatever! The larger the crowds, the more chance of attracting media and changing public opinion. I think just not paying your own taxes somehow wouldn't have much effect--unless a large block of people do it together and get media attention. Join a group and make your voices heard--just like the Whoos down in Whooville did! The media is not 100% owned by the right--yet anyway!

[Yupster]

24. Quit your job

apply for as many government benefits as you can. Have them send you checks for a while instead of you sending them checks.