VITA: Retake Money from the Government to Give to the Poor

Another day of Robin Hoodery as a VITA volunteer. Today I helped four people fill out their tax forms, including one tax resister who won’t be filing but who keeps the returns for her own files just in case the IRS comes calling with their own idea of what her forms should have looked like.

The remaining three returns were all big refunds, so the U.S. Treasury is $4,755 poorer now.

So far this year, that makes 13 returns filed and $9,267 in refunds.

The folks at wiseGeek have tried to extend the “Peace Tax Fund” concept to its natural conclusion: allowing taxpayers to allocate their tax payments to programs of their choice. Personal Tax Earmarking they call it.

It, too, would be largely symbolic and not substantial, but it might have a good educational effect.