Tax Day

In the United States, federal income tax needs to be filed by tomorrow, April 15. Back in 1937 when this New Yorker cover by Constantin Alajálov was published, the income tax was due on March 15. As you can see, at the time people were as conflicted as they are today about having to pay it.

Constantin Alajálov
The New Yorker, March 13, 1937

http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-New-Yorker-Original-Issue-of-March-13-1937-Cover-Art-by-Alajalov-/271134129820?pt=Magazines&hash=item3f20da7e9c&nma=true&si=VJo29%252F7WbHpl1SY9gWmnl4%252FkT80%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

0691

Wabbit Season? Duck Season? No, Tax Season!

Bob Knox's New Yorker cover from 23 years ago captured the spirit of the American tax season and its annual rite of federal tax preparation. It featured the amusing pairing of an abacus with a collage of impenetrable tax forms. Just after this cover appeared, around 1990, electronic filing was introduced. Now nearly 80% of tax returns use IRS e-filing, or almost 100 million last year. The printed 1040 form is no longer mailed to households and is fast becoming obsolete.

Bob Knox, The New Yorker, April 17, 1989

0306