There are 97 different taxes in the US Code – the aff could increase any one or any combination of them.

Tax.The one thing you can’t accuse our tax code of being is simple. In fact, complicated isn’t a word that sufficiently describes the tome that is the US Tax Code. Did you know it’s 3.8 million words long? Did you know that 75 years ago, it was a total of two pages long, but now it’s 189 pages long? No wonder the US tax system is so convoluted and why so many people dread tax season. And why CPAs make so much money.

I Pay How Many Different Taxes?!?!

As you can imagine, in a 189-page tome, there’s bound to be a lot of taxes. But did you know that we have to pay 97 taxes? Yes, you read that right, there are 97 taxes you have to pay. Is it a wonder that the IRS has nearly 2,000 publications, forms and instruction sheets you can download off their website?

But there seems to be some method to the madness. In 1998, when the tax code was slightly shorter, Money Magazine asked 46 different tax professionals to fill out a tax return for a household. It was all hypothetical, of course.

Now, you’d expect these professionals to know their business, which, of course, they did. Another thing you’d expect would be for them to generate consistent results, right? Well, no. They all had different results.

In 2009, PC World tried a similar experiment, except this time it was with five of the top tax preparation software websites. Again, they all had different results.

Apparently, those 97 taxes are too complicated even for the professionals, so it’s no wonder the rest of us regular folk shy away from completing tax returns. Clearly, it’s almost impossible to do it correctly. Even if a professional is doing it.

So, where’s the method? Well, incorrectly filed taxes lead to fines, which means the government makes more money. Of course, that could be construed as a conspiracy theory, but it still makes one wonder. After all, how can one not think conspiracy when you see things like “Flush Taxes” in the list, right? What’s next? A tax on using toilet paper? One thing’s for sure, when they start taxing us to breathe, we might have to consider moving.

Here are the 97 taxes in the US tax code:

Air Transportation Taxes

Biodiesel Fuel Taxes

Building Permit Taxes

Business Registration Fees

Capital Gains Taxes

Cigarette Taxes

Court Fines

Disposal Fees

Dog License Taxes

Drivers License Fees

Employer Health Insurance Mandate Tax

Employer Medicare Taxes

Employer Social Security Taxes

Environmental Fees

Estate Taxes

Excise Taxes On Comprehensive Health Insurance Plans

Federal Corporate Taxes

Federal Income Taxes

Federal Unemployment Taxes

Fishing License Taxes

Flush Taxes

Food And Beverage License Fees

Franchise Business Taxes

Garbage Taxes

Gasoline Taxes

Gift Taxes

Gun Ownership Permits

Hazardous Material Disposal Fees

Highway Access Fees

Hotel Taxes (these are becoming quite large in some areas)

Hunting License Taxes

Import Taxes

Individual Health Insurance Mandate Taxes

Inheritance Taxes

Insect Control Hazardous Materials Licenses

Inspection Fees

Insurance Premium Taxes

Interstate User Diesel Fuel Taxes

Inventory Taxes

IRA Early Withdrawal Taxes

IRS Interest Charges

IRS Penalties

Library Taxes

License Plate Fees

Liquor Taxes

Local Corporate Taxes

Local Income Taxes

Local School Taxes

Local Unemployment Taxes

Luxury Taxes

Marriage License Taxes

Medicare Taxes

Medicare Tax Surcharge On High Earning Americans Under Obamacare

Obamacare Individual Mandate Excise Tax

Obamacare Surtax On Investment Income

Parking Meters

Passport Fees

Professional Licenses And Fees (another form of taxation)

Property Taxes

Real Estate Taxes

Recreational Vehicle Taxes

Registration Fees For New Businesses

Toll Booth Taxes

Sales Taxes

Self-Employment Taxes

Sewer & Water Taxes

School Taxes

Septic Permit Taxes

Service Charge Taxes

Social Security Taxes

Special Assessments For Road Repairs Or Construction

Sports Stadium Taxes

State Corporate Taxes

State Income Taxes

State Park Entrance Fees

State Unemployment Taxes (SUTA)

Tanning Taxes

Telephone 911 Service Taxes

Telephone Federal Excise Taxes

Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee Taxes

Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Taxes

Telephone State And Local Taxes

Telephone Universal Access Taxes

The Alternative Minimum Tax

Tire Recycling Fees

Tire Taxes

Tolls

Traffic Fines

Use Taxes

Utility Taxes

Vehicle Registration Taxes

Waste Management Taxes

Water Rights Fees

Watercraft Registration & Licensing Fees

Well Permit Fees

Workers Compensation Taxes

Zoning Permit Fees