We have a winner! It’s Jason! For the answer, see the comments!
Our next tax trivia question for the giveaway is:
Which popular everyday item was first taxed as a luxury in 1898, at the start of the Spanish-American War and continues to be taxed today?
The first correct answer wins free CCH tax prep software. My answer on this one is final.
Remember that you have to comment on the actual post, not on email, Twitter or Facebook, in order to win (though feel free to comment that way for fun). You can read the rules for the giveaway and more about the prizes here.
What’s your guess?
The telephone!
Jason, you’re our winner!
The telephone!
Federal telephone excise tax
The telephone.
P.S. — I think Congress just eliminated the 3 percent federal excise tax on long-distance service.
Yep, but it still applies to local service.
The telephone
I believe the luxury item is the telephone, although my bit of research-fu says that it only applies to local-only service these days.
Telephone service. (No repeat winners.)
Telephone
Seriously Andrew, it takes all the fun out if you are going to give away the answer, but can’t be the winner.
telephone excise tax on certain “communications services”
Answer to question for today: Oil or fuel
I think the answer is “LOCAL telepone service” because that is the only tax that fits the “and continues to be taxed today”.
Long-distance phone service, wireless, voice over Internet Protocol service, pre-paid telephone cards, and other bundled services do not have the tax anymore…
I think it’s more properly “telegraph” services.
THE ANSWER IS THE TELEPHONE TAX
Telephone Tax