War Tax Resisters Penalty Fund
The War Tax Resisters Penalty Fund began more than 20 years ago when Ronald Reagan was president, the US-backed Contras were hard at work on our behalf, nuclear disarmament was a hot topic, and US Marines had been bombed in Beirut.
Military tax resisters were refusing to pay all or a portion of their income taxes to support mad (and MAD!) military policies of the United States, and were being socked with large penalties, interest, liens, garnishments, and at times, seizure of their property to settle accounts. As a result of widespread tax fraud, the IRS would soon create the “frivolous penalty,” charging $500 for claiming extra dependents on the W-4 form.
A core group of 83 people decided we could easily share $463.14 in penalties incurred by a few military tax resisters if we divided their penalties and interest between us. The more people we could recruit to pay a resisterms costs over and above his ore her tax liability, the lighter the burden for everyone. With the little help we could provide, resisters were able to keep on.
How the Penalty Fund Works
Send us your name and address and we’ll add you to the list of supporters who are willing to share tax resisters penalties. Periodically we review requests from resisters against whom the IRS has moved and divide what they’ve paid in penalties and interest among the people on our mailing list. Shares have been as high as $30 but are usually less than $10. Contributors pay all if they can, or whatever they can afford. Some pay more than their share. We divide what we get from our appeal among the needy resisters. If we canmt cover all their indebtedness, we cover as much as we can. On average, wemve reimbursed 80% of the amounts requested.
Contributors who decide to become resisters may also apply to the fund for assistance after they have paid assessed fines or the IRS has seized penalties and interest. All we ask is that resisters provide us with copies of tax forms, any correspondence theymve had with the IRS, and a copy of their letter of conscience submitted with their income tax returns.
Who Administers the Fund?
Our mailing list includes people from all over the country, but for convenience mostly, our mailbox is located in North Manchester, Indiana, where the idea for the penalty fund was hatched. Members of our steering committee are from in and around this burg. We have tried at times to share the rewards of the job with others, but members felt it was working well the way it was. We even encouraged other communities to develop regional penalty funds, and a few exist around the country. The beauty of the fund is that it could be done anywhere.
The address for the Penalty Fund is:
War Tax Resisters Penalty Fund
PO Box 25,
N. Manchester, IN, 46962.
March 15th, 2009
