Just 9% Agree U.S. Has World’s Best Tax System
Only nine percent (9%) of American Adults think the United States has the best tax system in the world, down from 12% last year.
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Most Recent Releases
February 24, 2011
February 23, 2011
Americans Question Fairness of Tax System
Regardless of any changes made to the tax code, many Americans continue to question the fairness of what they have to pay.
February 23, 2011
Voters Still Think Bush To Blame for Bad Economy
Voters may question how President Obama is handling the economy and think his new budget doesn't cut deeply enough, but most still blame his predecessor for the problems he's trying to deal with.?
February 23, 2011
SUCCEEDING IN YOUR BUSINESS: Do Personal Guaranties Go on Forever?
"My partner and I bought a small business five years ago from the person who originally started it. We assumed his existing lease for a terrific retail space, and personally guaranteed the lease. As we are both getting ready to retire, we decided to sell the business. We found a great buyer, who is willing to pay us an above-market price because of the business location.
February 22, 2011
29% Have Already Filed Their Income Taxes
The downward trend of early tax filers continues, with only 29% of Americans saying that they have already filed their income taxes.
February 22, 2011
Overall Economic Growth vs. Personal Finances
Does confidence in the direction of personal finances drive sentiment on economic growth, or is it the other way around?
February 17, 2011
Voters Think They’re Far More Eager To Cut Spending Than Politicians Are
Voters clearly don’t have much confidence in their elected leaders to make the spending cuts necessary to reduce the nation’s historic-level budget deficit.
February 17, 2011
Only 39% Expect Federal Spending to Exceed $4 Trillion in Near Future
The documents the White House includes with President Obama's $3.7 trillion proposed budget for 2012 project that government spending will top $4 trillion in the next two to three years, but most voters aren't aware of that increase amidst all the talk of spending cuts.
February 16, 2011
55% Say Obama’s Budget Doesn’t Cut Enough
Most voters don’t think President Obama’s proposed $3.7 trillion federal budget includes enough spending cuts, and despite House Republican plans to cut substantially more, a plurality of voters don’t think the GOP goes far enough either.
February 16, 2011
44% Less Likely To Buy GM Because of Bailout
A sizable number of Americans remain less likely to buy a General Motors car because of the company’s government bailout. One-in-four says anti-buyout sentiment has kept them or someone they know from buying a GM vehicle.
February 15, 2011
52% Say GM Somewhat Likely to Repay Taxpayers
Just over half of Americans think General Motors and Chrysler may repay their taxpayer bailouts, but that doesn’t change the negative view of future bailouts.
February 15, 2011
Americans Ring in New Year with Improved Financial Security Sentiments
Americans are beginning 2011 with renewed confidence as financial security sentiments reached their highest level since April 2010. The COUNTRY Financial Security Index(R) rose 0.8 points to 64.9 in February. This marks the first time Americans have started the year with improved sentiments since the COUNTRY Index began in 2007.
February 15, 2011
57% Still Believe Bailouts Were Bad for US
Most voters continue to believe that government bailouts were a bad idea, and a plurality still fears the government will do too much to help the economy.
February 15, 2011
SUCCEEDING IN YOUR BUSINESS: Turn Your E-Mail Messages Into Cash!
As frequent readers of this column know, I am not the biggest fan of e-mail.
February 11, 2011
Just 25% Recognize That Most Americans Are Investors
Half of all Americans own stocks, bonds or mutual funds, but most are also unaware of that fact.
February 11, 2011
Homeowners Remain Wary About Short-Term Housing Recovery, Confident About Long-Term Market Values
Homeowners continue to hold little hope for the value of their house in the short-term and show no new confidence in long-term recovery.
February 10, 2011
43% Say Government Policy Mistakes Created Great Depression of 1930s, 26% Disagree
Economists still argue about what caused the Great Depression of the 1930s and what got the nation out of it.
February 9, 2011
35% Say Their Home Is Worth Less Than What They Still Owe
The number of homeowners who say their homes are worth more than what they still owe on their mortgage has fallen to its lowest level in nearly two years.
February 8, 2011
SUCCEEDING IN YOUR BUSINESS: "Allocating the Purchase Price" When Selling or Buying a Business
"I have been running a successful online company -- a limited liability company -- for several years, with a number of different lines of business. Another company has made an offer to buy one of my lines of business for a very attractive price, and I'm inclined to accept.
February 2, 2011
Discover (R) U.S. Spending Monitor (SM) Consumer Confidence Jumps 5.6 Points in January to Three-Year High
Consumers' confidence sharply rebounded in January, fueled by a surge in the number of middle-income consumers who see improvement in the U.S. economy and in their personal finances are improving, according to the Discover U.S. Spending Monitor.
