What people think about taxing wealth
Core finding
U.S. adults are pessimistic about the economy, but they still show majority support for raising taxes on billionaires and large corporations.
Roughly 73% of adults agree that it would be fair to raise wealth taxes on billionaires. About 67% agree that it would be fair to raise taxes on large corporations.
Adults are pessimistic about the near-term economy
About 46% of adults say they feel pessimistic about the U.S. economy in the next year, including 24% who are very pessimistic and 22% who are somewhat pessimistic.
The long-term retirement outlook is also uncertain. Roughly 36% are not sure whether Social Security will still be around in 40 years, while 35% say it will not and 29% say it will.
Topline
36% are not sure whether Social Security will still be around in 40 years.
n = 1,000 · Mar 6–16, 2026 · MoE ±3.5%
Majorities say higher taxes on billionaires and corporations would be fair
About 73% of adults agree that it would be fair to raise wealth taxes on billionaires. This includes 55% who strongly agree and 18% who somewhat agree.
Support is also broad for taxing large corporations. Roughly 67% agree that it would be fair to raise taxes on large corporations, including 43% who strongly agree and 24% who somewhat agree.
Stacked breakdown
73% agree that raising wealth taxes on billionaires would be fair.
n = 1,000 · Mar 6–16, 2026 · MoE ±3.5%
Economic pessimism does not reduce support for higher taxes at the top
The money questions show pessimism and tax fairness moving together. Adults are more likely to say the economy looks weak than strong, but that does not translate into resistance to higher taxes on concentrated wealth.
The sharper pattern is that support for taxing billionaires and large corporations is much stronger than optimism about the broader economic outlook.
Methodology
Full methodology →| Mode | Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting |
|---|---|
| Population | US adults age 18+ |
| Field dates | Mar 6–16, 2026 |
| Base (unweighted) | 1,000 |
| Margin of error | ±3.5% |
| Module | Module 2: Economics, Work, & Policy |
| Sponsor | Verasight |
| Weight variable | weight |
| Weighting targets | age, race/ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, metropolitan status |
Sources
- reports.verasight.io/r/omnibus-2026-044
Do you agree or disagree that it would be fair to raise wealth taxes on billionaires?
- reports.verasight.io/r/omnibus-2026-044
Do you agree or disagree that it would be fair to raise taxes on large corporations?
- reports.verasight.io/r/omnibus-2026-044
Do you believe that Social Security will still be around in 40 years?
- reports.verasight.io/r/omnibus-2026-044
How optimistic or pessimistic do you feel about the US economy in the next year?
Cite this topic
Verasight Client Omnibus Survey #2026-044, fielded March 6-16, 2026, N=1,000 US adults age 18+, +/- 3.5%.