How Your Tax Dollars are Used | War Resisters League
The new War Resisters League’s annual “pie chart” flyer, Where Your Income Tax Money Really Goes, analyzes the Federal Fiscal Year 2024 Budget (FY 2025 is 1 October 2024 – 30 September 2025). This FY2025 issue was published in March 2024.
Each year War Resisters League analyzes federal funds outlays as presented in detailed tables in “Analytical Perspectives” of the Budget of the United States Government. Our analysis is based on federal funds, which do not include trust funds – such as Social Security – that are raised separately from income taxes for specific purposes. What federal income taxes you pay (or don’t pay) by April 15, 2024, goes to the federal funds portion of the budget.
in English, in color (pdf)
in English, black & white (pdf)
Not including new funding, the US provides Israel over $3 billion every year, with almost the entire amount being used to support the Israeli military. Since World War II, the US had dedicated more foreign aid to Israel than any other country.
DEAD WRONG: U.S. Foreign Policy
Few could miss the cynicism of President Biden proudly announcing token food drops into Gaza in March 2024, all the while providing Israel with thousands of made-in-USA bombs to drop on a strip of land the size of Las Vegas. Already 31,000 Palestinians had been killed and homes, hospitals, businesses, schools,hospitals, businesses, schools, roads, and farmland in Gaza left in ruins or bulldozed.roads, and farmland in Gaza left in ruins or bulldozed.
U.S. foreign policy is designed to kill
Roughly two-thirds of current confl icts worldwide involveRoughly two-thirds of current conflicts worldwide involve one or more adversaries armed byone or more adversaries armed by the United States.the United States.
- 78 years & $220 billion in military aid to Israel supported the occupation of Palestinians in thethe occupation of Palestinians in the WEST BANK and GAZA by the most powerful military in the region.by the most powerful military in the region.
- $3.8 billion a year military aid to Israel will continue to 2029 under an agreement negotiated by Obama. Furthermore, Biden used loopholes in weapons sales guidelines to send Israel more than 100 shipments of bombs & military equipment.
- $46 billion of U.S. military aid to UKRAINE have slowed a Russian invasion but led to a quagmire — costing morea Russian invasion but led to a quagmire — costing more than 10,500 civilian lives and destroyed villages and cities.
- Trump used loopholes during his presidency to sendused loopholes during his presidency to send billions of dollars of weapons to Saudi Arabia and UAE to carry on the war in Yemen with upward of 19,000 civilian deaths
- Arms industry political donations totaled $19 million during Biden’s first two years. Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, and Generalheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, and General Dynamics took 58% of the business.
Ceasefire Now! Negotiate! Disarm the Pentagon!
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Get involved in WRL’s organizing and education work: nonviolent direct action training, counter-military recruitment, internationalist work, and more. Visit WRL’s membership handbook at warresisters.org/joinwrl. Find resources to challenge militarism, curb police and border patrol power, strengthen nonviolent action and lift up community resilience!
Write elected officials, letters-to-the-editor, and posts online. Send and share copies of this flyer. Explain your budget priorities for a better world.
Divest from war! Refuse to pay all or part of your federal income tax. Though illegal, thousands of people openly participate in this form of protest. Whatever you choose to refuse—$1, $10, 48% or 100%—send a letter to elected officials and tell them why. Contact us for information or referral to a counselor near you. Contribute resisted tax money to groups that work for the common good.
For more about refusing to pay for war, brochures, and other resources, contact the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee, (800) 269-7464 or see nwtrcc.org.
Order a DVD of NWTRCC’s film, Death and Taxes from WRL’s online store.
Read and use War Tax Resistance: A Guide to Withholding Your Support from the Military, a 144-page handbook with history, methods and resources. Available for $5 plus postage from WRL’s online store. A new edition will be published in 2024.
You can also download the flyers and print them locally:
in English, in color (pdf)
in English, black & white (pdf)
We offer these downloads free of charge, but we really appreciate your donation to support the work of producing this important resource each year. If you can, donate today!
For Pie Charts from previous years, check out the Pie Chart Archives
***NOTE ABOUT SHIPPING*** Once we receive them from the printers, pie chart orders are being mailed no later than 48 hours after receiving the order. Orders of 50 and more are sent priority mail, which arrives in 2-3 days. Postage costs more than 20%, an additional donation is appreciated.