Sources

Every figure on this site traces to a cited source with an as-of date — nothing is invented or pulled from general knowledge. Sources for national/state tax rules (federal brackets, FICA, state income tax, sales tax) are verified separately for each of the 51 jurisdictions; what's listed below is per category.

Bar drink

Tax Policy Center — how state and local alcohol taxes work (excise + sales tax layering) — as of 2026-01-01

Cannabis (legal states)

Colorado Department of Revenue — Marijuana Excise Tax (15% state excise + 2.9% state sales) — as of 2026-01-01

Car insurance

National Association of Insurance Commissioners — insurance premium taxes are levied on insurers, not as sales tax on the policyholder — as of 2026-01-01

Car payment or lease

AAA 'Your Driving Costs' 2025 study — Medium Sedan category (annual insurance, maintenance, fuel averages) — as of 2025-09-01

Car purchase

AAA — Your Driving Costs (annual ownership cost averages) — as of 2026-01-01

Childcare

US Department of Labor — National Database of Childcare Prices — as of 2026-01-01

Cigarettes or vape

Tax Foundation / CDC STATE System — state cigarette excise tax rates — as of 2026-01-01

Coffee habit

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Consumer Price Index, coffee — as of 2026-01-01

Concert ticket

Clarus Partners — sales tax treatment of concert and live music event admissions by state — as of 2026-01-01

Domestic flight

IRS 2026 Federal Excise Tax (FET) rates — 7.5% base fare tax + $5.30 domestic segment fee — as of 2026-01-01

Fast food meal

Sales Tax Institute — Food and Sales Tax (prepared vs. grocery food distinction) — as of 2026-01-01

Food delivery

Tax Foundation — sales tax treatment of groceries, candy, and soda by state (prepared food is taxed at the general rate in nearly all states) — as of 2026-01-01

Funeral

Avalara — 'The Unexpected (Tax) Nature of Funeral Services' (state-by-state funeral service tax treatment) — as of 2026-01-01

Gas fill-up

U.S. Energy Information Administration — federal and state motor fuel tax rates — as of 2026-01-01

Gym membership

LegalClarity — state-by-state gym membership sales tax status — as of 2026-01-01

Haircut

Tax Foundation — most states exempt personal services from sales tax; the base is generally goods rather than services — as of 2026-01-01

Health insurance premium

U.S. Chamber of Commerce — insurance premium taxes are assessed on insurers, not itemized as consumer sales tax — as of 2026-01-01

Home purchase

ATTOM Data Solutions — 2025 Property Tax Analysis (national average effective property tax rate) — as of 2026-04-01
Bankrate (Quadrant Information Services) — national average homeowners insurance premium — as of 2025-07-01
Angi 2024 State of Home Spending Report — average annual home spending — as of 2025-01-01
Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey — 30-year fixed mortgage rate — as of 2026-07-30
LodeStar Software Solutions (via Bankrate) — national average closing costs — as of 2025-01-01
Texas Constitution, Article 8, Section 29 — real estate transfer taxes prohibited — as of 2016-01-01
California Revenue & Taxation Code §11911 — county documentary transfer tax — as of 2026-01-01
National Association of Realtors — Existing-Home Sales report (median price, median tenure) — as of 2026-06-01
S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index (via Macrotrends) — long-run appreciation trend — as of 2026-01-01

Hotel stay

HVS 2025 Lodging Tax Report (USA) — national average combined lodging tax rate — as of 2025-01-01

Internet service

Internet Tax Freedom Act (47 U.S.C. § 151 note) — permanent ban on state/local internet access taxes, with a 7-state grandfather exception — as of 2016-02-24

Laptop or phone purchase

General sales tax taxability of consumer electronics — no state-level exemption identified — as of 2026-07-01

Pet annual cost

American Pet Products Association (APPA) — National Pet Owners Survey, annual spend breakdown by category — as of 2025-06-01

Phone plan

Tax Foundation — 'Excise Taxes and Fees on Wireless Services Up Again in 2025' (16th annual wireless tax report) — as of 2025-09-01
IRS — end of the federal excise tax on wireless/long-distance phone service (Notice 2006-50) — as of 2006-08-01

Pizza delivery

Tax Foundation — grocery, candy and soda tax treatment by state (prepared food is taxed at the general rate in nearly all states) — as of 2026-01-01

Rent

Multi-source confirmation that long-term residential rent is sales-tax-exempt nationally (e.g. explicitly confirmed for CA, TX) — as of 2026-01-01

Restaurant dinner

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Consumer Expenditure Survey, Food Away From Home — as of 2026-01-01

Rideshare trip

Critical Density — Ridehail Taxes in the USA (state/local fee patchwork overview) — as of 2026-01-01

Soft drinks

Tax Foundation — how states tax groceries, candy and soda (2025) — as of 2026-01-01

Streaming bundle

LegalClarity — state-by-state streaming service sales tax status (2026) — as of 2026-01-01

Student loan payment

US Department of Education — Federal Student Aid, repayment plans and terms — as of 2026-01-01

Utilities

Tax Foundation — sales tax base composition and the common exemption of residential utilities — as of 2026-01-01

Wedding

Multi-source confirmation: no state provides a blanket sales tax exemption for wedding goods/services (catering, venue, flowers, photography are standard taxable transactions) — as of 2026-01-01

Weekly groceries

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Consumer Expenditure Survey, Food at Home — as of 2026-01-01

See the data in use