Summary: Taxes Unite Us

In advance of the tax filing deadline for the year ended December 31, 2021, The Harris Poll conducted a nationally representative survey of U.S. adults to gauge sentiment about taxation. Among the general findings, three in five (57%) of U.S. adults agree that they are taxed at unfairly high rates compared to people in different income brackets, and an overwhelming majority (74%) do not agree with how their tax dollars are being spent. However, most (58%) agree that taxes are needed to provide community resources. U.S. adults are divided on what actions are considered tax fraud, though most adults (55%) agree that it is smart to manipulate the tax system in order to retain earnings. U.S. adults tend to think high-earners (58%), businesses (53%), white collar workers (50%), and politicians (47%) are more likely to be misleading their taxes compared their counterparts.

Read more in the data tables, available here.

Methodology:

This survey was conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll from March 4-7, 2022 among 1,048 U.S. adults (ages 18 and older). This survey is not based on a probability sample, and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region, and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the U.S. population. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for respondents’ propensity to be online. For more information on methodology, please contact Madelyn Franz or Andrew Laningham.