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. This year, though, tax worries will take a backseat to stress about inflation. In fact, WalletHub found that over 3 in 4 Americans are more worried about inflation than taxes right now.
Regardless of bigger troubles, though, tax season is still very unpleasant for many Americans. But just how much do we dislike taxes and tax collectors, 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 roughly 230 taxpayers.
Key Stats
- Over 3 in 4 Americans are more worried about inflation than taxes right now.
- 72% of Americans think their current tax rate is too high.
- 28% of people say getting audited is their biggest Tax Day concern, while an equal percentage is concerned about not having enough funds to pay taxes.
- 39% of Americans think charities would make better use of their tax dollars than government or religious groups.
- More than 2 in 5 Americans know someone who has cheated on their taxes.
- Nearly 2 in 3 people describe companies that advertise free tax filing services as bait-and-switch schemes.
- 90% of Americans think filing taxes should be free.
Ask the Experts
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 experts’ profiles below to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions:
- Around 3 in 4 Americans think their current tax rates are too high. What are your thoughts on current tax rates?
- Nearly 2 in 3 people describe companies that advertise free tax filing services as bait-and-switch schemes. Do you agree?
- What do you make of the fact that more than 2 in 5 Americans know someone who has cheated on their taxes?
- People's biggest Tax Day fears are getting audited and not having enough money. What do you think people should be most concerned about?
Ask the Experts
Methodology
This report reflects the results of a nationally representative online survey of roughly 230 people.
After all responses were collected, we normalized the data by age, gender and income so the sample would reflect U.S. demographics.
Full Survey & Responses
What would you do to never pay taxes again? (select all that apply) | |
---|---|
Give up social media for 1 year | 56% |
Move to a different country | 35% |
Get an “IRS” tattoo | 30% |
Take a vow of celibacy | 28% |
Stop talking for 6 months | 19% |
Name your child “Taxes” | 16% |
Clean prison toilets for 3 years | 9% |
Are you more worried about taxes or inflation right now? | |
Inflation | 76% |
Taxes | 24% |
What are your biggest Tax Day concerns? | |
Getting Audited | 28% |
Not Having Enough Money To Pay | 28% |
Making A Mathematical Mistake | 25% |
Identity Theft | 19% |
Who will/would make the best use of your tax dollars? | |
Charity | 39% |
Local government | 23% |
State government | 16% |
Federal government | 14% |
Religious group | 8% |
What would you rather do than your taxes? | |
Jury duty | 42% |
Talk to your kids about sex | 22% |
Miss a connecting flight | 15% |
Spend the night in jail | 9% |
Drink expired milk | 8% |
Swim with sharks | 5% |
Do you think your current tax rate is…? | |
Too High | 72% |
Just Right | 27% |
Too Low | 1% |
Which matters most to you when deciding where to live? | |
Cost of living | 47% |
Family | 23% |
Weather | 14% |
Jobs | 9% |
Schools | 4% |
Taxes | 3% |
Should filing taxes be free? | |
Yes | 90% |
No | 10% |
How would you describe companies that advertise free tax filing services? | |
Bait and switch | 64% |
Exactly as advertised | 36% |
Do you know someone who has cheated on their taxes? | |
No | 59% |
Yes | 41% |
Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.
WalletHub experts are widely quoted. Contact our media team to schedule an interview.