It’s Tax Freedom Day in Wisconsin, the day on which Badger State taxpayers have collectively earned enough income to pay off their total federal, state, and local tax bill. Wisconsin is the 37th state to reach Tax Freedom Day. According to the annual report from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation, national Tax Freedom Day falls on April 21, three days later than last year.
The states with the earliest Tax Freedom Days are Louisiana (Mar 30), Mississippi (Apr 2), and South Dakota (Apr 4). The latest dates fall in New Jersey (May 9), Connecticut (May 9), and New York (May 4).
The study’s key findings include:
- The national Tax Freedom Day is three days later than last year due mainly to the continuing economic recovery, which will boost federal tax revenue collected through the corporate, payroll, and individual income tax.
- Americans will spend more on taxes in 2014 than they will on food, clothing, and housing combined.
- Americans will spend 42 days working to pay off income taxes, 15 days for excise taxes, and 11 days for property taxes.
- Americans will pay $3 trillion in federal taxes and $1.5 trillion in state and local taxes, for a total bill of more than $4.5 trillion, or 30.2 percent of the nation’s income.
- If you include annual federal borrowing, which represents future taxes owed, Tax Freedom Day would occur on May 6, 15 days later.
Tax Freedom Day is a significant date for taxpayers and lawmakers because it represents how long Americans as a whole have to work in order to pay the nation’s tax burden. Tax Foundation Economist Kyle Pomerleau said Tax Freedom Day provides “a vivid representation of how much we pay for the goods and services provided by governments at all levels.”
Historically, the date for Tax Freedom Day has fluctuated significantly. The latest-ever nationwide Tax Freedom Day was May 1, 2000. In 1900, Tax Freedom Day came on January 22.