2019 WalletHub Tax Survey
7:11 AMPosted by: John S Kiernan
Whether you see it as a civic duty, a necessary evil or cause for a few choice expletives, it’s no surprise that most of us dislike tax time. From the expense and hassle of the process to questions of fairness and fears of basic math, there are many reasons for our April angst.
But just how much do we dislike taxes and tax collectors? Will President Trump's reforms make things better or worse? And what would we do to get out of paying?
In search of answers to those questions and more, WalletHub conducted a nationally representative survey of over 600 taxpayers.
Here's what we learned:
Key Stats- Fewer than 4 in 10 people are happy with President Trump’s tax reforms. 70% think they benefit the rich more than the middle class.
- 89% of people think the government currently does not spend their tax dollars wisely.
- 31% of people say making a math mistake is their biggest Tax Day fear, edging out not having enough money (28%) at the top of the list.
- 36% of people would move to a different country for a tax-free future. 24% would get an “IRS” tattoo and 15% would take a vow of celibacy.
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Once the results of our survey were in, we asked a panel of experts in the fields of public taxes and tax reform to interpret our findings. Click on the panelists’ profiles below to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:
- WalletHub’s survey found that 9 in 10 voting-age Americans do not believe the government is currently spending their tax dollars wisely. Why do you think that is?
- What is the significance of 75% of survey respondents saying they would rather see their tax dollars go to healthcare than a border wall?
- Nearly 50% of people say that healthcare will be the biggest issue for them in the 2020 election – does that bode well for either political party?
- What do you think it says about Americans that nearly 50% of people would rather do jury duty than their taxes?
Michael P. Ettlinger Director, The Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire
William G. Gale The Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy, Senior Fellow - Economic Studies, Director - Retirement Security Project, Co-Director - Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center – The Brookings Institution
Paul Weinstein Jr. Director, MA in Public Management, Johns Hopkins University
Eric A. Lustig Professor of Law and Director of Center for Business Law, New England Law
Bruce L. Jaffee Ph.D. – Professor Emeritus, Department of Business Economics and Public Policy, Director, Institute for International Business, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University
Stephen Aikins Ph.D. – Associate Professor, University of South Florida
Michael P. Ettlinger Director, The Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire
William G. Gale The Arjay and Frances Fearing Miller Chair in Federal Economic Policy, Senior Fellow - Economic Studies, Director - Retirement Security Project, Co-Director - Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center – The Brookings Institution
Paul Weinstein Jr. Director, MA in Public Management, Johns Hopkins University
Eric A. Lustig Professor of Law and Director of Center for Business Law, New England Law
Bruce L. Jaffee Ph.D. – Professor Emeritus, Department of Business Economics and Public Policy, Director, Institute for International Business, Kelley School of Business, Indiana University
Stephen Aikins Ph.D. – Associate Professor, University of South FloridaThis report reflects the results of a nationally representative online survey of over 600 people.
After all responses were collected, we normalized the data by age, gender and income so the sample would reflect U.S. demographics.
Full Details Overall| What would you do for a tax-free future? | |
|---|---|
| Move to a different country | 36% |
| Get an “IRS” tattoo | 24% |
| Stop talking for 6 months | 16% |
| Take a vow of celibacy | 15% |
| Name your child “Taxes” | 11% |
| Clean prison toilets for 3 years | 2% |
| Which do you like more than the IRS? | |
| In-laws | 42% |
| Snakes & Spiders | 21% |
| Cold showers | 20% |
| Traffic jams | 17% |
| What are your biggest Tax Day concerns? | |
| Making A Mathematical Mistake | 31% |
| Not Having Enough Money To Pay | 28% |
| Identity Theft | 24% |
| Getting Audited | 17% |
| Is the IRS really necessary? | |
| There’s lots of room for improvement | 50% |
| I hate it, but we need it | 20% |
| They’re doing a fine job | 13% |
| It should be abolished | 13% |
| They’re doing a great job | 4% |
| Are you happy with President Trump’s tax reforms? | |
| No | 63% |
| Yes | 37% |
| What would you rather do than your taxes? | |
| Jury duty | 50% |
| Miss a connecting flight | 25% |
| Talk to your kids about sex | 21% |
| Swim with sharks | 13% |
| Spend the night in jail | 11% |
| Drink expired milk | 11% |
| Does the government currently spend your tax dollars wisely? | |
| No | 89% |
| Yes | 11% |
| In your opinion, which of the following best describes accountants? | |
| Sometimes helpful | 56% |
| Good deal | 20% |
| Overpriced | 20% |
| Scam | 4% |
| Do you think your current tax rate is…? | |
| Too High | 57% |
| Just Right | 34% |
| Too Low | 9% |
| Corporate tax rates should be … ? | |
| Higher than consumer tax rates | 58% |
| The same as consumer tax rates | 29% |
| Lower than consumer tax rates | 13% |
| Which issue will be most important to you in the 2020 elections? | |
| Healthcare | 50% |
| Immigration | 19% |
| Taxes | 17% |
| National Security | 14% |
| Are Trump’s tax changes better for the middle class or the rich? | |
| Rich | 70% |
| Middle class | 30% |
| Would you rather taxes go to the border wall or healthcare? | |
| Healthcare | 75% |
| Border wall | 25% |
| Should the tax on the super-rich be 70% and upwards? | |
| Yes | 57% |
| No | 43% |
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