The IRS distributed refunds averaging $2,753 per return in a recent year. This contrasts with an annual U.S. tax gap estimated at $688 billion. Global tax policy benchmarks now include a 23.51% average corporate rate and a new 15% international minimum.
Key Takeaways
- Global average statutory corporate tax rate is 23.51% in 2023.
- OECD Pillar Two global minimum tax set at 15%.
- U.S. multinational effective tax rate abroad is 13.1%.
- The IRS audit rate for U.S. individual returns was 0.4% in FY 2022.
- IRS conducted 622,000 individual audits in FY 2022.
- Corporate audit coverage by IRS was 0.9% in FY 2022.
- The U.S. top marginal income tax rate is 37% for incomes over $578,125.
- Standard deduction for single filers is $13,850 in 2023.
- Child Tax Credit is $2,000 per qualifying child under 17.
- In fiscal year 2022, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collected a total of $4.896 trillion in tax revenue.
- Individual income taxes accounted for 50.4% of total U.S. federal tax receipts in FY 2022, totaling $2.468 trillion.
- Payroll taxes contributed 36.7% to U.S. federal revenues in 2022, amounting to $1.797 trillion.
- The U.S. tax preparation industry employs over 1 million people.
- Revenue in the U.S. tax preparation market reached $13.4 billion in 2023.
- H&R Block served 22 million clients in 2023.
With global corporate taxes rising and the US tax gap still huge, policymakers push minimum rules and enforcement.
Related reading
01 · Category
International Tax19 stats
01
Global average statutory corporate tax rate is 23.51% in 2023.
02
OECD Pillar Two global minimum tax set at 15%.
03
U.S. multinational effective tax rate abroad is 13.1%.
04
140 countries agreed to BEPS 2.0 framework.
05
Cross-border tax revenue losses estimated at $100-240B annually.
06
EU VAT gap averaged 6.4% of potential revenue in 2021.
07
UK's HMRC collected £1.6 trillion in 2022/23.
08
France's corporate tax rate is 25%.
09
Germany's VAT rate is 19% standard.
10
Japan's top individual rate is 55.97%.
11
India's GST collections hit 2.1 trillion INR in FY23.
12
Brazil's tax-to-GDP ratio is 33.7%.
13
China's VAT revenue was 7.5 trillion CNY in 2022.
14
Australia collected AUD 570 billion in taxes FY23.
15
Canada's GST/HST revenue: CAD 48 billion in 2022.
16
FATCA led to $15 billion in U.S. collections since 2010.
17
BEPS Action 13 CBC reporting adopted by 100 jurisdictions.
18
Global tax-to-GDP average is 23.1%.
19
Ireland's corporate rate 12.5%, attracting FDI.
Interpretation
International Tax Interpretation
The global tax game is a frantic dance of nations rewriting the rulebook to a 15% beat while some savvy players, having long mastered the art of the sidestep, still glide to an effective 13.1%.
02 · Category
Tax Compliance24 stats
01
The IRS audit rate for U.S. individual returns was 0.4% in FY 2022.
02
IRS conducted 622,000 individual audits in FY 2022.
03
Corporate audit coverage by IRS was 0.9% in FY 2022.
04
IRS collected $30.4 billion from enforcement actions in FY 2022.
05
U.S. tax gap estimated at $688 billion annually for TY 2017-2019.
06
Gross tax gap in U.S. was $496 billion after late payments for TY 2021.
07
Underreporting accounts for 82% of the U.S. tax gap.
08
Non-filing contributes 5% to the U.S. tax gap, totaling $35 billion.
09
Underpayment makes up 13% of U.S. tax gap at $90 billion annually.
10
Voluntary compliance rate for U.S. individual taxes is 83.8%.
11
U.S. corporate voluntary compliance rate is 80.3%.
12
IRS identified 1.2 million abusive tax schemes in FY 2022.
13
Offshore tax evasion recoveries by IRS totaled $1.3 billion in FY 2022.
14
IRS whistleblower awards paid $300 million since inception.
15
550 whistleblower awards issued by IRS through FY 2022.
16
Average IRS whistleblower award is $500,000.
17
IRS Criminal Investigation division closed 2,420 cases in FY 2022.
18
Tax fraud convictions averaged 90% success rate by IRS CI in 2022.
19
IRS levied $15 billion in penalties in FY 2022.
20
U.S. taxpayers filed 90% of returns electronically in 2022.
21
IRS processed 260 million returns in TY 2022.
22
Balance due notices issued by IRS: 10 million in FY 2022.
23
IRS liens filed: 500,000 in FY 2022.
24
U.S. tax preparer fraud cases investigated: 1,000 annually.
Interpretation
Tax Compliance Interpretation
While audit chances are a mere coin toss of 4 in 1,000, the IRS's $30 billion enforcement haul proves they prefer to catch a few big fish with a net rather than empty the ocean with a teaspoon.
03 · Category
Tax Policy18 stats
01
The U.S. top marginal income tax rate is 37% for incomes over $578,125.
02
Standard deduction for single filers is $13,850in 2023.
03
Child Tax Credit is $2,000per qualifying child under 17.
04
Corporate tax rate in U.S. is 21% post-TCJA.
05
Qualified Business Income deduction is 20% for pass-throughs.
06
Estate tax exemption is $12.92 million per individual in 2023.
07
Alternative Minimum Tax affects 0.1% of taxpayers.
08
Section 179 expensing limit is $1.16 million for 2023.
09
Opportunity Zones program created 9,000 since 2018.
10
R&D tax credit averages $10 billion annually.
11
Mortgage interest deduction cap at $750,000debt.
12
SALT deduction capped at $10,000post-TCJA.
13
Earned Income Tax Credit lifted 5.6 million out of poverty in 2021.
14
29 states have no estate or inheritance tax.
15
41 states impose individual income tax.
16
Average state sales tax rate is 6.5%.
17
TCJA reduced individual rates across brackets by avg 3%.
18
Inflation Reduction Act allocated $80 billion to IRS.
Interpretation
Tax Policy Interpretation
Our tax code is a masterclass in targeted generosity, lavishing breaks on businesses and estates while offering the common man a standard deduction that barely covers a decent used car, all policed by an IRS whose new funding is the only thing not subject to depreciation.
More related reading
04 · Category
Tax Revenue30 stats
01
In fiscal year 2022, the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) collected a total of $4.896 trillion in tax revenue.
02
Individual income taxes accounted for 50.4% of total U.S. federal tax receipts in FY 2022, totaling $2.468 trillion.
03
Payroll taxes contributed 36.7% to U.S. federal revenues in 2022, amounting to $1.797 trillion.
04
Corporate income taxes made up 8.5% of U.S. federal tax revenue in FY 2022, equaling $416 billion.
05
Excise taxes generated $87 billion for the U.S. federal government in 2022.
06
U.S. estate and gift taxes collected $32.8 billion in FY 2022.
07
Total U.S. federal tax collections grew by 12.3% from FY 2021 to FY 2022.
08
In 2021, the top 1% of U.S. taxpayers paid 42.3% of federal individual income taxes.
09
The U.S. effective federal tax rate for the top 1% was 25.9% in 2021.
10
Total U.S. individual income tax returns filed in 2021 numbered 153.6 million.
11
U.S. gross collections from individual income taxes reached $2.2 trillion in 2021.
12
Corporate tax returns filed in the U.S. in 2020 totaled 2.5 million.
13
U.S. corporate tax liability was $297 billion in 2020.
14
Payroll tax withholdings in the U.S. amounted to $1.6 trillion in 2022.
15
U.S. customs duties collected $100 billion in FY 2022.
16
State and local tax collections in the U.S. totaled $2.1 trillion in 2021.
17
Property taxes accounted for 30% of U.S. state and local revenue in 2021.
18
Sales taxes generated $523 billion for U.S. states in 2021.
19
Individual income taxes made up 35% of state tax revenue in 2021.
20
Corporate taxes contributed 5% to state revenues in 2021, totaling $50 billion.
21
U.S. federal refundable tax credits paid out $277 billion in 2021.
22
Total U.S. tax refunds issued in 2022 were $445 billion.
23
Average U.S. federal tax refund in 2022 was $2,753.
24
U.S. pass-through business income taxes totaled $400 billion in 2021.
25
Capital gains taxes in the U.S. generated $200 billion in 2021.
26
U.S. dividend income taxes collected $100 billion in 2021.
27
Interest income reported on U.S. tax returns was $1.5 trillion in 2021.
28
U.S. business receipts reported totaled $15 trillion on 2021 returns.
29
Total deductions claimed on U.S. individual returns were $2.8 trillion in 2021.
30
U.S. adjusted gross income (AGI) aggregated $14.8 trillion in 2021.
Interpretation
Tax Revenue Interpretation
The sheer scale of the American tax system is staggering, painting a picture where a towering $4.9 trillion is collected, half shouldered by individuals and a full 42.3% of the income tax bill paid by the top 1%, all while the average person awaits a nearly $3,000 refund.
05 · Category
Tax Services Industry20 stats
01
The U.S. tax preparation industry employs over 1 million people.
02
Revenue in the U.S. tax preparation market reached $13.4 billion in 2023.
03
H&R Block served 22 million clients in 2023.
04
Intuit's TurboTax generated $4.1 billion in revenue for FY 2023.
05
60 million Americans used tax software in 2023.
06
Average fee for professional tax preparation is $220per return.
07
75% of U.S. taxpayers with AGI under $100k use paid preparers.
08
Number of paid tax preparers in U.S.: 800,000 in 2022.
09
Tax prep services market grew 2.5% annually from 2018-2023.
10
Online tax filing platforms captured 40% market share in 2023.
11
CPA firms provide 30% of professional tax services.
12
Enrolled Agents number 55,000 in the U.S.
13
Tax prep franchise outlets: 5,000 in U.S.
14
Average tax preparer salary: $55,000annually.
15
IRS PTIN holders: 740,000 active in 2023.
16
Mobile tax prep apps users grew 15% YoY to 20 million.
17
DIY tax software users: 50 million in 2023.
18
Tax advisory services revenue: $10 billion in U.S. 2023.
19
Big 4 firms dominate 20% of corporate tax services market.
20
Free File program used by 3 million taxpayers in 2023.
Interpretation
Tax Services Industry Interpretation
The sheer scale and complexity of the U.S. tax code has successfully monetized national confusion, creating a booming $13 billion industry where millions willingly pay a premium to navigate a system so daunting that even the promise of free filing feels like a niche hobby.
Reference
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APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Tax Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/tax-industry-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Tax Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/tax-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Tax Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/tax-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
25 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level