Taxes aren’t due until the spring but some Americans are already declaring their intentions to dodge Uncle Sam when tax season rolls around.
Amid the government shutdown, some people on Reddit and TikTok have said they plan to either skip paying their taxes in April or claim exempt status as a form of protest against the federal government.
“Why do we pay taxes during [a] shutdown?” one person wrote on Reddit. “I’m just wondering why we owe federal income tax during periods where the federal government is shut down. Why can’t we divide our taxes owed by 365. For every day the government is shut down, subtract the outcome.”
Others contend that, at the very least, there should be a discussion about the gap between what Americans pay in federal taxes and what they receive in return.
“I’ve never minded paying taxes. I’ve always supported subsidized health care, safety net programs, infrastructure, and education funding. That being said, it’s incredibly frustrating that I’m not seeing a return on those funds,” said Izzy Hodges, a finance and administration professional who discussed the issue on TikTok.
