The Real Cost of U.S. Taxes
Tax Foundation, Special Report, December 2005, No. 138, The Rising Cost of Complying with the Federal Income Tax
LINK: http://www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/1281.html
In 2005, US taxpayers will pay roughly $1.2 trillion in federal income taxes. However, America’s tax burden is more than just taxes paid. It also includes the cost of complying with federal taxes, including tax planning, paperwork, and other hassles caused by tax complexity. In the last century the cost of tax compliance has grown tremendously. In 2005 individuals, businesses, and nonprofits will spend an estimated 6 billion hours complying with the federal income tax code, with an estimated compliance cost of over $265.1 billion. This amounts to imposing a 22 cent tax compliance surcharge for every dollar the income tax system collects. Projections show that by 2015 the compliance cost will grow to $482.7 billion.
This is a great document from which to preen facts. Review the data for your own state. Consider statements about the lower income or retired and how they relate to your congress person’s position. Better yet, send a copy of the report along with your letter.
A growing collection of sample letters to help get you started is available at http://fairtaxscorecard.com/SampleLetters.phtml.
A letter a day sends the tax man away.
