WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� Most Americans still think their taxes are too high, according to recent polls, even after last year鈥檚 tax law fulfilled several of President Donald Trump鈥檚 tax-related campaign promises.
In fact, a indicates people are more upset about taxes than they were last year. The findings from the survey, which was conducted in late March, are another sign that Americans are on edge about their personal finances as the U.S. experiences and . Other polling finds that frustration goes beyond personal tax obligations, with many believing that wealthy people and corporations are not paying their fair share, while others worry about government waste.
The surveys come after Trump and Republicans passed a massive last year. The legislation enacted a range of tax breaks, including a for tips and overtime. Tax , and many households are expected to see more income from the Republicans’ tax legislation, but estimated it will ultimately give the largest benefits to the richest Americans.
Republicans have touted the law as for working families. But polling shows that many Americans may not be feeling the benefits, especially as their by higher prices.
Most say taxes are too high
About 7 in 10 registered voters say the taxes they pay are 鈥渢oo high,鈥� according to the . That鈥檚 up from about 6 in 10 last year. The poll shows heightened concern among very liberal voters and Democratic men, but there has also been a sizable increase among groups that Republicans want to court ahead of the midterm elections, such as moderates, rural voters and white voters without a college degree.
Discontent about taxes has been rising for the past few years. Recent , conducted in March, found about 6 in 10 U.S. adults say the amount of federal income tax they have to pay is 鈥渢oo high,鈥� a finding that鈥檚 been largely consistent in the annual poll since 2023. That鈥檚 approaching the level of unhappiness found in Gallup鈥檚 polling from the 1980s through the 1990s, before President George W. Bush’s 2001 and 2003 tax cuts.
Now, about half of Democrats and about 6 in 10 Republicans say their federal income taxes are too high. Republicans tend to view their tax bill more negatively than Democrats, but when a Republican is president.
Many believe the rich aren鈥檛 paying enough in taxes
Most Americans are troubled by the belief that some wealthy people and corporations don鈥檛 pay their fair share of taxes, according to conducted in January. About 6 in 10 Americans said each of those notions bothers them 鈥渁 lot,鈥� a measure that is largely unchanged in recent years.
By contrast, only about 4 in 10 U.S. adults in that poll said the amount they personally pay in taxes bothers them a lot.
About 8 in 10 Democrats are bothered 鈥渁 lot鈥� by the feeling that some corporations and rich people aren鈥檛 paying their fair share, the Pew survey found, compared to about 4 in 10 Republicans. Government spending is a bigger issue for Republicans, according to the Fox 91欧美激情 poll, which found that 75% of registered voters 鈥� and a similar share of Republican voters 鈥� say 鈥渁lmost all鈥� or 鈥渁 great deal鈥� of government funding is wasteful and inefficient.
That points to a perception problem for many Americans. Even if their own tax bill is manageable, the idea that the wealthy are underpaying 鈥� or that the government is wasting their dollars 鈥� bothers many. About half of Americans, 49%, in the Gallup poll say the income tax they will pay this year is 鈥渘ot fair,鈥� which is in line with the record high from 2023.
Broad unhappiness with Trump鈥檚 tax approach
Americans鈥� tax frustration was rising before Trump re-entered the White House, but it鈥檚 still a problem for the president’s party 鈥� especially if Americans are not feeling the relief that he promised.
The Fox 91欧美激情 poll found that about 6 in 10 registered voters, 64%, say they disapprove of how Trump is handling taxes, up from 53% last April. Disapproval has risen most sharply among independents, but also among Democrats and Republicans.
This aligns with a broader feeling that Trump isn鈥檛 doing enough to address inflation. Most Americans said Trump had hurt the cost of living 鈥渁 lot鈥� or 鈥渁 little鈥� in his second term, according to conducted in January. Roughly 9 in 10 Democrats and about 6 in 10 independents said Trump has had a negative impact on the cost of living.
Less than half of Republicans, 43%, said Trump had helped the cost of living, while 33% said he hadn’t made a difference and only 23% said he’d helped.
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The Fox 91欧美激情 poll was conducted among 1,001 registered voters from March 20-23. The Gallup poll was conducted among 1,000 U.S. adults from March 2-18. The Pew Research Center poll was conducted among 8,512 U.S. adults from Jan. 20-26. The AP-NORC Poll was conducted among 1,203 U.S. adults from Jan 8-11.
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