overpaying

WASHINGTON — Most Americans still think their taxes are too high, according to recent polls, even after last year’s tax law fulfilled several of President Trump’s tax-related campaign promises.

In fact, a new Fox News poll 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 a spike in inflation and sluggish economic growth. 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 tax and spending cut bill last year. The legislation enacted a range of tax breaks, including a boosted child tax credit and new tax deductions for tips and overtime. Tax refunds are up this season, and many households are expected to see more income from the Republicans’ tax legislation, but the Congressional Budget Office estimated it will ultimately give the largest benefits to the richest Americans.

Republicans have touted the law as evidence that they are making life more affordable for working families. But polling shows that many Americans may not be feeling the benefits, especially as their tax refunds get eaten up by higher prices.

Most say taxes are too high

About 7 in 10 registered voters say the taxes they pay are “too high,” according to the Fox News poll. That’s 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 polling from Gallup, conducted in March, found about 6 in 10 U.S. adults say the amount of federal income tax they have to pay is “too high,” a finding that’s been largely consistent in the annual poll since 2023. That’s approaching the level of unhappiness found in Gallup’s 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 Gallup’s polling shows that this gap often shrinks when a Republican is president.

Many believe the rich aren’t paying enough in taxes

Most Americans are troubled by the belief that some wealthy people and corporations don’t pay their fair share of taxes, according to a Pew Research Center poll conducted in January. About 6 in 10 Americans said each of those notions bothers them “a lot,” 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 “a lot” by the feeling that some corporations and rich people aren’t 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 News poll, which found that 75% of registered voters — and a similar share of Republican voters — say “almost all” or “a great deal” 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 — or that the government is wasting their dollars — bothers many. About half of Americans, 49%, in the Gallup poll say the income tax they will pay this year is “not fair,” which is in line with the record high from 2023.

Broad unhappiness with Trump’s tax approach

Americans’ tax frustration was rising before Trump re-entered the White House, but it’s still a problem for the president’s party — especially if Americans are not feeling the relief that he promised.

The Fox News 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’t doing enough to address inflation. Most Americans said Trump had hurt the cost of living “a lot” or “a little” in his second term, according to an AP-NORC poll 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.

Sanders writes for the Associated Press. The Fox News 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.

The team at Money Saving Expert shared simple steps to take to get the best price for a new passport

Brits have been urged to follow some simple steps to ensure they get the best price for an essential travel document. According to experts, “millions” of people could have overpaid for their passports.

A passport is required for travel abroad. In the UK they are valid for 10 years for an adult, or five years for those under 16.

When your passport is due to expire, it is important you apply for a new one ahead of time, to ensure you don’t risk having to cancel a holiday. However, you may not realise that the way in which you apply for a new passport can affect the price.

Addressing this issue, the team at Money Saving Expert (MSE) said on its website : “Millions of Brits applying for a passport last year may have been able to save money by taking their own photo or applying online, MoneySavingExpert.com can reveal. If your passport’s due for renewal, here’s how to get it for less.”

The three main steps to remember are:

• Apply online rather than via post
• Take your own photo
• Renew before fees rise on April 8

Applying online

MSE said: “Currently, it’s £12.50 cheaper to apply for a passport online through GOV.UK instead of using a paper form. Of course, this isn’t an option for those excluded from, or who struggle to use, digital services – though if this is the case, you may want to consider the Post Office’s ‘Check & Send’ service.”

Check & Send is an optional extra that costs £16 on top of the standard passport fee.

Take your own photo

MSE continued: “If it’s been a while since you last applied for a passport, you may be surprised to learn that you can now take your passport photo yourself at home and upload it directly into your online application. This means you don’t need to shell out for photos taken at high-street shops or photo booths, which can typically cost between £5 and £13ish.”

Here are some pointers to help you get your photo right first time:

• You can use your smartphone – just make sure the photo is clear, in focus and in colour
• Take it against a plain, light background. The photo should include your head, shoulders and upper body, with no other people or objects in the frame
• Avoid editing or altering it. It will be cropped for you during the application process, so there’s no need to do that yourself

Renew before fees rise

Passport fees will rise on Wednesday, April 8. This is how much they will rise by:

• Adult: takes up to three weeks to arrive – online cost now – £94.50, online cost from April 8 – £102, postal cost now – £107, postal cost from April 8 – £115.50
• Adult fast-track – arrives one week after appointment – online cost now – £178, online cost after April 8 – £178
• Adult ‘Premium’ – given at the appointment – online cost now – £222, online cost after April 8 – £239.50
• Child – takes up to three weeks to arrive – online cost now – £61.50, online cost after April 8 – £66.50, postal cost now – £74, postal cost after April 8 – £80
• Child fast-track – arrives one week after appointment – online cost now – £145, online cost after April 8 – £145

For full details and to renew online visit GOV.UK here.