Business

Americans Question Level of CEO Pay

Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump has proposed tax hikes on the country’s wealthiest households in response to what he feels are vastly overpaid CEOs and Wall Street hedge fund managers.

Tax Hikes For Rich Still Win Over Cuts for All

Opposing all tax increases or only raising taxes on the wealthy? Voters still lean toward the latter choice.

Pessimism Over Interest Rates Rises

Most Americans continue to lack confidence in the Federal Reserve Board to keep interest rates down and expect to pay higher rates next year.

Gas Prices To Rise? Hold Steady?

Gas prices have hit recent lows in many parts of the country, but do most Americans expect that to last?

Voters Worry China’s Problems Are Coming Our Way

Americans are definitely worried that the unfolding economic crisis in China may have repercussions on this side of the Pacific.

Americans Think Illegals Are Taking Their Jobs

As the U.S. economy continues to stumble along, many Americans suspect they’re competing for jobs with the growing number of illegal immigrants in this country.

Do Americans Work Hard Enough?

Most voters think they already work hard enough and disagree with former Florida Governor Jeb Bush that they need to work even harder to help fix the economy.

Are Obama’s Overtime Changes Good for the Economy?

Voters appear more supportive of President Obama’s expansion of overtime pay than they were last year, but most also still feel that business owners, not the government, should make the decisions about their businesses.

Voters Believe People Get Rich Through Hard Work

When it comes to building wealth, voters don’t see an easy way out: they still believe most people get rich by working hard.

Americans See Free Trade As Good for Business, or Do They?

Americans are conflicted on free trade. Most think the government doesn’t do enough to protect U.S. businesses, but at the same time they think those businesses will do better against foreign competitors with a wide-open market.

Americans Think Free Trade Good for Consumers, Bad for U.S. Jobs

Americans are a little less enthusiastic about free trade, even though they admit it’s better for consumers. But they’re also more likely now to see it as a job killer. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 800 Adults was conducted on April 22-23, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Americans Define Middle Class, Think Politicians Don’t Agree

Candidates across the political spectrum promise to help the middle class by cutting taxes. But most Americans think those candidates don’t even agree on who makes up the middle class, and they don’t believe their promises to cut taxes. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The national survey of 800 Adults was conducted on April 14-15, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Do You Pay Your Fair Share in Taxes?

Most Americans say they are filing their income taxes on time this year, but over half think they are paying more than they should.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 53% of American Adults believe that, compared to people who make more or less than they do, they pay more than their fair share of taxes. Twenty-three percent (23%) disagree, but just as many (24%) are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 800 American Adults was conducted on April 12-13, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Most Will Pay Up - Again - by Tax Day

Most Americans are on schedule to file their income taxes by tomorrow’s deadline, with half expecting a refund.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 75% of American Adults have already filed their income taxes, with 10% more who say they’ll do so by tomorrow. Six percent (6%) plan to seek an extension, while nine percent (9%) are still not sure what they’ll do at this late date. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 800 American Adults nationwide was conducted on April 12-13, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Regular Fast-Food Diners Don't Want to Pay More to Raise Minimum Wage

Fast food giant McDonald’s recently announced it will raise its hourly wage by more than 10% starting this July. But Americans aren’t thrilled about the possibility of paying higher prices for fast food to support those higher salaries.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 26% of American Adults rarely or never eat at fast-food restaurants. Fifty-one percent (51%) eat at such restaurants at least two to three times a month, unchanged from last October. This includes 29% who eat fast food at least once a week. Twenty-two percent (22%) say they eat at a fast-food restaurant every now and then. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 800 American Adults was conducted on April 2 & 5, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Support Is Still There for Raising the Minimum Wage

Most Americans still support raising the minimum wage, even though just over half don’t know exactly what the minimum wage currently is.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 54% of American Adults favor an increase in the minimum wage. Thirty-two percent (32%) are opposed, while 13% are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 800 American Adults was conducted on April 2 & 5, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Most Still Favor Tax Deductions Over Lower Rates

Americans aren't keen on letting go of their tax deductions but still like the idea of everyone paying the same percentage of their income in taxes.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 21% of American Adults think all tax deductions should be eliminated in order to lower tax rates. Fifty-two percent (52%) don’t want to sacrifice deductions for lower tax rates. Twenty-seven percent (27%) are not sure. These attitudes have changed little in annual surveys since April 2009. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 800 American Adults was conducted on March 23-24, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Americans More Eager to Pay Their Taxes This Year?

Americans are slightly ahead of last year’s pace when it comes to filing their income taxes, perhaps in part because they're even more optimistic they’ll receive a refund. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls).  Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 800 American Adults nationwide was conducted on March 23-24, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.5 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Just 31% Trust the IRS

The IRS has a PR problem.

It’s bad enough being the tax collector, but 50% of Likely U.S. Voters don’t trust the Internal Revenue Service to fairly enforce tax laws. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 31% do trust the IRS to enforce the laws fairly, but 19% more are not sure. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 22-23, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Additional information from this survey and a full demographic breakdown are available to Platinum Members only.

Voters Still Strongly Oppose IRS’ Obamacare Duties

The head of the Internal Revenue Service acknowledged recently that his agency has fielded less than half of taxpayer telephone calls this year because of its new responsibilities policing Obamacare. But voters still strongly believe the IRS should concentrate on tax collection instead. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

(Want a free daily e-mail update? If it's in the news, it's in our polls). Rasmussen Reports updates are also available on Twitter or Facebook.

The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on March 22-23, 2015 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.