Tax Types – Estate, Sales, and Poll Taxes

Depending on the state, you may be required to pay several types of taxes. Some of these taxes are Estate taxes, Sales taxes, and Poll taxes. The purpose of taxing people is to deal with societal costs, while others are aimed at increasing the efficiency of economic activity and raising revenues. In either case, it is important to understand the difference between the various types of taxes. Here are some facts about each one. You can decide which one is most beneficial for you based on the information you have obtained.

Taxes

Taxes are compulsory financial charges levied against individuals or entities for government expenditure. Taxes are a key element of state-building and governance. They are also the principal form of social contract, allowing taxpayers to exert accountability over the state. In other words, taxes should be used wisely to achieve a balance between the public good and government spending. As such, it is important to understand the impact of taxation on economic growth and welfare.

The legal and economic definitions of taxes vary slightly. While economists do not regard many transfers to governments as taxes, others are. Many of these transfers are comparable to prices, such as tuition at public universities. Other tax-based transfers include fees for utilities provided by local governments. These taxes are necessary because governments obtain resources by minting coins, collecting penalties, borrowing, or confiscating criminal proceeds. This is known as fiscal capacity. However, taxes often fall into one of two categories: indirect taxes and direct taxes.

Sales taxes

When determining what products and services are subject to sales tax, check with your state or locality to determine if any exemptions apply. In most states, sales taxes are charged on goods and services that meet certain standards. Exemptions exist for products that support certain industries or are used to curb pollution. Sales to local, state, and federal governments are exempt from sales tax, as are products and services sold by nonprofit organizations. Sales taxes apply to a seemingly endless variety of products and services.

There are two main types of sales taxes: in-state and out-of-state. Store sales are those where the retailer sells directly to consumers. In-state sales, however, are sales made to customers within the same state. Using the destination-based method, sales tax is charged based on where the buyer is located. This is considered the more advantageous method for the buyer as it ensures that only taxable items are sold within the state.

Estate taxes

There are two options for paying estate taxes. The first option is to defer payment for a certain amount of time. In such a scenario, you would need to pay the first installment at the time of your return filing. However, the amount you would have deferred will begin accruing interest at the rate of law eighteen months after the death of the decedent lending money. This option is not as advantageous as the other two options, but you can still defer payments and save yourself from penalties and interest.

Another option is to donate some of your estate to charity. While it is true that your charitable donations could reduce your estate value, the amount you can donate to charity may be limited to fifty percent of your adjusted gross income. You can learn more about charitable tax deductions in our guide to giving to charity. Another option is to set up a charitable trust and make significant donations, which would not trigger estate taxes. The trust can then generate income for your beneficiaries.

Poll taxes

Poll taxes are taxes imposed on every liable individual. The amount varies from one district to another, but the basic principle is that every liable person must pay the same amount of money, regardless of their resources or income. While many taxation systems charge different amounts of taxation, poll taxes are unique in their design. Here are three types of poll taxes. Let’s explore each of them, and see how they affect you. We’ll also explore the history behind each.

The introduction of poll taxes was widely controversial. These fees required people to pay for their voting rights in advance, and were sometimes imposed for a specified number of years. In the late 1890s, populism and racial discrimination made voting extremely expensive, and poll taxes further depressed the rate of voter registration. The southern political elite tried to use the tax as a way to limit the influence of poor whites, and by 1908, all southern states had implemented it.