Tax resistance is a movement that has gained popularity among workers in recent years.gettyTax resistance is a movement that has gained popularity among workers in recent years. “Many of us are angry and frustrated by the U.S. government’s military actions around the world, and it often seems as if there is not much we can do about it. War tax resistance is a powerful way to resist the state and oppose its harmful actions,” an Instagram post by The Conscious Citizens page stated, explaining how workers could use federal taxes to resist war. The post highlighted different ways to engage in tax resistance including refusing a small token amount to get the IRS’s attention, refusing a percentage of taxes equivalent to the federal budget used for war or military purposes or refusing to pay all of one’s federal taxes. The post also outlined how to resist as a salaried employee versus an individual who is self-employed.Workers are stretched thin with rising food and gas costs, exacerbated by the war with Iran. Trump’s approval rating has reached a record low, according to recent reports; many have decided to engage in tax resistance as a way to oppose Trump and his administration. Some workers are turning to tax resistance as their form of protest, but the decision doesn’t come without its risks. “It’s really difficult for me as a tax professional to say [tax resistance] is a good idea,” shared Chelsey Abrams. Abrams is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) based in Baltimore, Maryland and has done tax preparation for over 20 years. “I worked at a variety of places doing audits and various aspects of accounting, but taxes was always one of the things that I had a deep interest in.” Abrams’ focus is on helping her clients use the tax law to their benefit. “I help people understand how they can create what I call a ‘tax-smart’ life, which is really considering how all aspects of your life have tax consequences.” Chelsey Abrams is a Certified Public Accountant based in Baltimore, Maryland.Chauncey “Write” Abrams“I understand where people are coming from with, ‘we don’t want our tax dollars being used in war, so let’s withhold it,’” Abrams explained. “However, there are a lot of things that people do need to consider, and I made a list of them. [First], we’re talking tax liens. The government can put a lien on your property for not paying your taxes. There’s also wage garnishment, so they start taking money out of your paycheck if you are a W-2 employee. They can seize your bank accounts. I’ve talked to people where this happened, where they’re like, ‘I don’t have access to my money.’ [There’s also] seizure of property, so that’s vehicles, houses and other types of accounts. There are also passport restrictions and not being able to use your passports. There are also fines. Then the worse of all is imprisonment. We’re talking about now losing your freedom.”Abrams went on to explain that tax resistance could be effective if most of the population were participating. For workers who choose to engage in tax resistance, Abrams shared some important considerations. “People need to say, ‘If I’m holding [the money] back now, and they don’t forgive this amount, am I willing to pay the interest and pay the penalties?’ Are these possible risks worth it to you?” Abrams emphasized that for those participating in tax resistance, they are still responsible for filing. “I don’t work for the IRS…I’ve never worked for the IRS. How I think about it is, failure to file [results] in penalties and then you’ll have interest on top of it. A lot of people who are making these decisions are people who are subject to audits and a lot of penalties anyway. So, it’s really evaluating your risk tolerance.”MORE FOR YOUAn Instagram user who goes by The Foolish Preacher stated in a November 2025 Instagram post, “I’m not paying federal taxes because the system is a scam.” When asked to elaborate on what motivated the decision to abstain from paying federal taxes, The Foolish Preacher explained in an email, “Why? Pedophiles. Lots of them. Apparently, they run a lot too. Debt. A lot of it. Apparently, the pedophiles are big spenders. War. Apparently, the pedophiles enjoy watching the underclass die for their entertainment.” When questioned about whether there were fears about repercussions, The Foolish Preacher shared, “Repercussions? Who cares. I follow a different authority that is higher than any god or law the over-class can point to.”The government can put a lien on your property for not paying your taxes.getty“Do what is it that you believe in,” Abrams said. “We are where we are today because someone stood up and did what they felt was right and change was made. A lot of times when I hear about this, it’s not from a social justice perspective. A lot of times, people are like, ‘I don’t really want them to have my money. I’m working hard for this, and they’re taking so much. And I do understand that, but there are a lot of ways to mitigate that with tax planning and understanding how the law works and using it to your benefit.”Working-class and middle-class workers, who may feel especially strained by the Trump administration’s policies, are using creative strategies to protest and resist. Workers are more cognizant of how their dollars are being spent and are now much more cautious with which corporations receive their support. The growing tax resistance movement exemplifies an overwhelmed and exhausted population that is fed up with the status quo and is looking for ways to showcase their opposition. In the future, there are likely to be more resistance movements as the public consciousness continues to grow and public dissent and discontent become more visible.