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Quiz: IRS Statistics

Internal Revenue Service federal building Washington DC USA

Many of you may remember the slogan, “We try harder,” which was used by Avis Car Rental until 2012.

Well, it doesn’t matter how hard the Internal Revenue Service tries, Americans may never have a great opinion of the IRS, which is responsible for collecting federal taxes. In its 2024 survey, Pew Research found that 50% of Americans have an unfavorable opinion of the federal agency–the worst among the 13 agencies included in the report.1

Regardless of how you feel about the IRS, Tax Day is just over the horizon. So, to help lift your spirits a bit, here’s a short quiz to see how much you know about the federal agency.

IRS Statistics

1 / 5

The IRS has had a variety of responsibilities over the years, including primary responsibility for enforcement of Prohibition in 1919 after the States ratified the 18th Amendment. The duties were transferred to the Department of Justice in 1930, and a short time later, the 21st Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment.2,3

2 / 5

Walmart, Inc. is the nation’s largest employer with more than 2.1 million employees. Amazon is second, with 1.6 million employees. The IRS employs roughly 83,000 employees. Where would it fall on the list of largest employers?4,5

3 / 5

The first tax code was introduced in 1913. It was roughly 5,000 words and most Americans could complete their taxes by completing a single-page form. How many words are in the 2024 tax code?6

4 / 5

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 nearly doubled the standard deduction–which for the 2024 season is $29,200 for married couples filing jointly. Prior to the change, 94% of people earning between $200,000 and $500,000 itemized their deductions. After the change, what percentage of people in that income group chose to itemize deductions?7

5 / 5

Individual income taxes are the government’s largest source of revenue. In 2024, the federal government collected $2.5 trillion (or about 50%) of its total receipts from individual tax returns. Corporate income taxes brought in about $600 billion.8

Your score is

The average score is 74%

0%

Answer key:

  1. A
  2. D
  3. D
  4. C
  5. A

4–5 Correct: Getting the highest grade in the class never gets old.

2–3 Correct: You still have to file your taxes this year!

0–1 Correct: Pop quizzes must not be your thing. You also still have to file your taxes this year!

  1. PewResearch.org, August 12, 2024
  2. IRS.gov, 2024
  3. ReaganLibrary.gov, 2024
  4. StockAnalysis.com, 2024
  5. IRS.gov, 2024
  6. TechStartups.com, November 19, 2024
  7. SmartAsset.com, March 31, 2021 (Most recent statistics available.)
  8. PewResearch.org, April 9, 2024

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