News-Record.com

* 80 percent of respondents described the tax system as, at very least, somewhat complex. About 10 percent of respondents weren't sure about the system's complexity.

* 52 percent of respondents, many of them the very people who benefit from deductions, said they'd be willing to give up some deductions in exchange for a more simplified tax system.

* The majority of Americans would be unwilling to pay an additional $2,470 in individual tax - the amount that, all told, could pay off the U.S. budget deficit. Of the 9 percent of respondents who said they'd bite the bullet and pay the tax, 63 percent said they expect that Congress wouldn't actually use the money to pay off the deficit. Instead, these respondents said, Congress would use the added cash to increase spending.

* Americans think they're paying out too high a percentage of their income in tax. The Tax Foundation estimated that the nation's average tax budget was 30.9 percent of income last year. But 43 percent of respondents to the recent survey said they believe the maximum amount individuals should have to pay out on all taxes is between 10 percent and 19 percent. About 22 percent of people said the maximum should be 20 percent to 29 percent. But when the income percentage hit 30 percent, respondents in favor of it dropped into single digits.

* 65 percent of respondents aren't too thrilled with the trade-off they're receiving in terms of government services for tax dollars paid out.

* 63 percent of respondents said all Americans should be required to pay a minimum amount of tax to help fund the government. According to Tax Foundation data, 1/3 of all taxpayers, or 42.5 million Americans, paid no federal income tax after taking deductions and credits.