Surprising Facts & Stats About Paying Taxes

April 15—better known as Tax Day—is a date that millions of Americans have circled on their calendars. Whether you're getting a refund or writing a check to the IRS, taxes are an unavoidable part of life. But beyond the annual scramble to file on time, Tax Day is full of surprising facts, historical tidbits, and eye-opening statistics. From a tax George Steinbrenner could get behind to paying taxes through the nose, here’s a closer look at some fun facts about taxes.

1. A Brief Overview of Tax Day

• The 16th Amendment, passed in 1913, established the federal income tax.
• Seven U.S. states—Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming—don’t have a state income tax.
• According to IBISWorld, the market size of the Tax Preparation Services industry in the United States was approximately $13.8 billion in 2023.

2. Taxes on Odd Things

• True or False: The Whiskey Rebellion really was fought over Whiskey. TRUE. Taxes had been raised on whiskey, putting small-time distributors at a great economic disadvantage. (True Facts that Sound like Bull$#*t)
• In 1698, Russia’s Tsar Peter I attempted to force Russia to be more like Europe in the strangest way possible: he imposed a beard tax to discourage the growing of beards. (True Facts that Sound like Bull$#*t: World History)
• Gabelle: A tax on salt. Instituted in 1341 when Philip VI of Valois instituted the first “salt tax” in an attempt to establish royal control over the salt. It wasn’t abolished until 1946. (The Illustrated Compendium of Weirdly Specific Words)
• Ireland’s signature whiskey was invented by thwarting the taxman. (Whiskey Stories)

3. Paying Taxes “Through the Nose”

• PAYING THROUGH THE NOSE: To pay an excessive amount for something.
• The Vikings were notorious for conquering villages. Citizens of each conquered village were forced to pay taxes to them. If a villager could not pay their taxes, the Vikings slit their nose as punishment. (Illustrated Histories of Everyday Expressions)
• The Danish levied a so-called nose tax against the newly conquered Irish in the 800s. If a debtor failed to pay, they were taxed by getting their nose busted open! (Illustrated Histories of Everyday Expressions)

I hope you've found some levity and relief in the above facts during this tax season. For more fun facts and knowledge, check out the following books: