With tax season approaching, many voters are expressing concerns about high taxes, according to a recent Fox News poll. It seems that people are particularly worried about the wealthy not contributing adequately and the government’s spending habits. Three-quarters of voters now view government expenditure as wasteful—a notable increase of nearly 20 percentage points from last year.
In the previous year, 57% thought that most (44%) or a large portion (13%) of government spending was inefficient. Now, that number has risen to 75%, with 53% saying most spending is wasteful and 22% claiming nearly all of it is.
The rising discontent with government spending is evident across demographic lines, especially among Democrats and independents. While 75% of Republicans share the sentiment of wasteful spending, this is a decrease from over 80% in March 2025.
Voter perceptions of the Trump administration’s attempts to tackle wasteful spending have also soured. About 64% rate the administration’s efforts as fair (20%) or inadequate (44%), up from 56% last March when 13% found the efforts fair and 43% thought they were lacking.
Though there is widespread bipartisan recognition of wasteful government spending—around 75% across Democrats, Republicans, and independents—views differ sharply on how the Trump administration is handling it. A significant majority of Democrats (90%) and a large portion of independents (80%) believe the administration isn’t doing a good job, contrasting with 69% of Republicans who rate its efforts positively.
70% of voters feel they pay too much in taxes, marking an 11-point rise since March last year and surpassing the previous high of 64% in March 2024. This represents the largest annual increase since the question was first posed in 2004, when 51% shared that sentiment. The tax burden continues to be a consistent concern for most voters.
When looking at voter groups, those particularly worried about their tax contributions include individuals with advanced degrees (up 24 points since 2025), very liberal voters (up 20 points), Democratic men (up 19), moderates (up 19), rural constituents (up 17), white voters without college degrees (up 16), and women aged 45 and older (up 16).
The top worry about federal income taxes is that wealthy individuals aren’t paying their fair share (38%), although this is a slight drop from last year’s peak of 45%. Next on the list is concern over how the government uses tax revenue, which has risen three points in the past year to 29%.
Other notable frustrations include the total amount paid in taxes (14%), the belief that too many individuals pay too little (10%), and the complexity of the tax system itself (9%).
Among Democrats (57%) and independents (40%), the primary worry is that wealthy citizens aren’t paying enough, while Republicans are more focused on government spending (39%).
Daron Shaw, a Republican analyst collaborating with Democrat Chris Anderson on the Fox News investigation, pointed out that public skepticism regarding government efficiency is why Democrats emphasize the importance of fair contributions from the wealthy. This strategy could be key for them to remain competitive on these issues.
President Trump’s disapproval rating concerning tax management has climbed to 64%, up by 11 points from the previous year, marking a record high for him.
Dissatisfaction is notably increasing across all demographics, with disapproval rising by 9 points among Democrats since April 2025, 14 points among independents, and 9 points among Republicans.
Interestingly, the use of AI for tax-related tasks isn’t really taking off. Around 87% of voters report they’re not using AI for their taxes this year, while only about 13% have either tried or plan to try it. Younger Republicans (under 45), voters under 30, as well as Hispanic and Black voters show the most interest in using AI for tax purposes.
The Fox News investigation was conducted from March 20-23, 2026, and included interviews with a randomly selected sample of 1,001 registered voters. Methods included live phone interviews and online responses, designed to ensure the findings represent the diverse demographics of registered voters.
