Most Americans Are Honest About Taxes

No one enjoys paying taxes, but most of us realize that taxes are just one of the costs of living in a free and safe country. Without taxes their would be no government services (or even a government at all), and our freedoms would be at the mercy of dictators all over the world. But have you ever wondered if other people are as honest about paying their taxes as you are? I know I have.

Well, the Internal Revenue Service Oversight Board also wants to know the answer to that question. For the last eight years they have funded a survey (done by Omnitel) to see what Americans think of being honest about paying their taxes. The latest of these surveys shows Americans are very honest about paying. Here are the numbers:

HOW much, if any, do you think is an acceptable amount to cheat on your income taxes?
A little here and there...............8%
As much as possible...............4%
Not at all...............87%

That's an incredibly high number and it makes me proud of my fellow citizens. Of course the possibility exists that people are lying to make themselves look good, but I don't think so. Regardless of what people think about taxes, I believe that most people are honest and pay what the law says they owe. And the numbers have been remarkably consistent over the eight year period of the survey. Here are the historical numbers:

2010...............87%
2009...............84%
2008...............89%
2007...............84%
2006...............86%
2005...............88%
2004...............86%
2003...............81%

And it seems like personal ethics is more important that the threat of legal penalties in getting people to be honest about their taxes. About 80% said personal integrity had a large influence on being honest about paying their taxes, while only about 35% said fear of an audit had a large influence.

And for those of you who don't have the personal integrity to honestly pay your taxes, it wouldn't be a good idea to brag about that. About two-thirds of the people in the survey say people have a responsibility to report those people who cheat on their taxes. Personally, I wish that number was even higher. Cheating on your taxes is just like stealing from your fellow citizens, and I have no sympathy for anyone caught doing it.