Americans Refuse to Pay Taxes in Protest of Government Policies

From a Brooklyn freelancer to a new mom, tax resisters say they'd rather face IRS consequences than fund policies they find morally reprehensible.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 7:25am

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A cinematic painting of a lone taxpayer sitting at a desk, surrounded by tax forms and documents, with warm light and deep shadows creating a pensive, contemplative mood.As more Americans refuse to pay federal taxes in protest of government policies, the solitary act of tax resistance takes on a sense of moral purpose and civic duty.Albany Today

A growing number of Americans are refusing to pay federal income taxes as a form of protest against government spending they find morally objectionable, including the war in Iran and the treatment of immigrants. While tax resistance has a long history in the U.S., organizers say the current wave is unlike anything they've seen in decades, with interest coming from people of all ages and backgrounds.

Why it matters

Tax resistance is a form of civil disobedience that highlights the moral and ethical concerns some Americans have with how their tax dollars are being used by the government. As more people join the movement, it raises questions about the limits of protest, the consequences of nonpayment, and the role of taxes in funding controversial policies.

The details

Ed Hedemann, an 81-year-old Brooklyn freelancer, has not paid federal income taxes since 1970 in protest of the Vietnam War. Others, like 48-year-old lawyer and climate activist Clara Vondrich, have decided to withhold taxes or restructure their lives to owe nothing at all in response to the current administration's actions, such as the missile strike on an Iranian school. The National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee has seen a surge in interest, with workshops drawing hundreds of attendees, as people grapple with the moral dilemma of funding policies they find unethical.

  • In the 15 months since the Trump administration returned to office, a growing number of Americans have decided to withhold federal taxes.
  • On February 28, the U.S. hit an elementary school in Iran with a Tomahawk missile, killing more than 150 girls and their teachers, which was a 'watershed moment' for some tax resisters.
  • During the last few tax seasons, the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee has offered workshops every other week, drawing 100 to 500 people.

The players

Ed Hedemann

An 81-year-old Brooklyn freelancer who has not paid federal income taxes since 1970 in protest of the Vietnam War, estimating he has withheld roughly $85,000 from the federal government over the decades.

Clara Vondrich

A 48-year-old lawyer and climate activist with an 11-month-old daughter who decided to withhold taxes after the U.S. missile strike on an Iranian school, feeling she cannot in good conscience pay taxes that fund policies she finds morally reprehensible.

National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee (NWTRCC)

An organization that provides guidance on conscientious tax objection and has seen a surge in interest, offering workshops every other week during the last few tax seasons that draw 100 to 500 people.

Lincoln Rice

The national coordinator at the NWTRCC, who says the current wave of tax resistance is unlike anything they've seen in decades.

Missy Pidgeon

A 32-year-old New Jersey resident who works part-time and plays in a band, intentionally earning below the federal filing threshold to avoid paying taxes she doesn't want to fund the government's policies.

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What they’re saying

“I was thinking, well, it's a little inconsistent for me to refuse induction, refuse to go into the military, yet pay taxes that would fund other people to go into the military.”

— Ed Hedemann

“I believe that taxes should be used for building lives and not taking them, and so the idea that I would be paying into a war machine was just untenable for me.”

— Clara Vondrich, lawyer and climate activist

“I'd rather have the sense of self-determination than know that I was directly funding this.”

— Clara Vondrich, lawyer and climate activist

What’s next

The National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee advises people to file their taxes accurately and not falsely claim exemptions, as the risks of criminal prosecution increase exponentially if they lie on their tax forms. The organization says the 'safest' method is adjusting deductions on W-4 forms, though this is still illegal.

The takeaway

The growing movement of Americans refusing to pay federal taxes in protest of government policies highlights the moral and ethical concerns some have with how their tax dollars are being used. While the risks of tax resistance are real, including potential fines, liens, and even jail time, for those who have decided to resist, the sense of self-determination and not directly funding policies they find unethical outweighs the consequences.