Idioms

taxes

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(as) certain as death and taxes

Certain to happen; inevitable and unavoidable. A variation of the proverbial phrase, "Nothing is certain but death and taxes." They just aren't right for each other; they're certain as death and taxes to break up eventually. The two brothers will be forever at each other's throats, as certain as death and taxes. Of course Evelyn got the promotion—it was as certain as death and taxes. She is the boss's favorite, after all.
See also: and, certain, death, taxes

(as) sure as death and taxes

Certain to happen; inevitable and unavoidable. A variation of the proverbial phrase, "Nothing is certain but death and taxes." They just aren't right for each other; they're sure as death and taxes to break up eventually. The two brothers will be forever at each other's throats, as sure as death and taxes. Of course Evelyn got the promotion—it was as sure as death and taxes. She is the boss's favorite, after all.
See also: and, death, sure, taxes

death and taxes

Two things generally regarded as certain to happen, inevitable, or unavoidable. A reference to the proverbial phrase, "Nothing is certain but death and taxes." They just aren't right for each other, so I think their break-up is as certain as death and taxes. The two brothers will be forever at each other's throats, as sure as death and taxes. Of course Evelyn got the promotion—it was as certain as death and taxes. She is the boss's favorite, after all.
See also: and, death, taxes

nothing is certain but death and taxes

proverb The only two certainties in life are that one will inevitably pass away and that one must pay taxes until that comes to pass. I wouldn't be so sure that investment will pay off like you expect. Nothing is certain in this life but death and taxes.
See also: and, but, certain, death, nothing, taxes

pink tax

The higher price often applied to products or services that are for or are marketed to women, especially when such products are similar or nearly identical to products or services for or marketed to men. The term refers to the fact that many such products are in fact pink. However, the term does not refer to an actual tax. A: "Why are my razors so much more expensive than my husband's?" B: "Because of the pink tax, that's why."
See also: pink, tax

sin tax

A tax on items considered harmful and non-essential, such as cigarettes and alcohol. Primarily heard in US. I hope you're prepared to pay a sin tax on those cigarettes.
See also: sin, tax

tax (one) with (something)

1. To hold one responsible or accountable for something. Often used in passive constructions. As a customer support representative, just be aware that customers are going to tax you with any and all issues they have with the service. I'm used to being taxed with the mistakes of my subordinates.
2. To accuse one of something; to lay blame on one for something. Often used in passive constructions. Police taxed him with aggravated assault and public endangerment. He was taxed with deceiving his clients in order to charge them for things they hadn't asked for.
See also: tax
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

Nothing is certain but death and taxes.

Prov. Everything in life is unpredictable, except that you can be sure you will die and you will have to pay taxes. (You can also refer to death and taxes as the only certain things in life.) Son: I can't believe how much tax money is being withheld from my paycheck! Father: Welcome to adult life, where nothing is certain but death and taxes.
See also: and, but, certain, death, nothing, taxes
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

death and taxes, certain as

Also, sure as death and taxes. Bound to occur, inevitable, as in His business is going to fail, certain as death and taxes. This phrase was invented by Benjamin Franklin in a letter (1789) and has been repeated ever since, the government's recurring need for revenue probably assuring its continued popularity.
See also: and, certain, death
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

death and taxes

If you compare something to death and taxes, you mean that it is impossible to avoid. As with death and taxes, it was a certain that the rain would arrive just in time for their holiday. Note: Benjamin Franklin said `In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.'
See also: and, death, taxes
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

death and taxes, (certain as)

Absolutely inevitable. This ironic phrase was coined by Benjamin Franklin in a letter to Jean Baptiste Le Roy in 1789: “But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” It has been repeated ever since.
See also: and, death
The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer Copyright © 2013 by Christine Ammer

death and taxes

Symbols of inevitability. Benjamin Franklin observed that “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” English novelist Daniel Defoe said much the same thing a century earlier.
See also: and, death, taxes
Endangered Phrases by Steven D. Price Copyright © 2011 by Steven D. Price
See also:
References in periodicals archive
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For starters, contrary to popular belief, the property tax serves as a vital complement to other types of taxes. For instance, our income tax system may be geared to collect more from the affluent, but it also includes numerous loopholes that allow the rich to slip out of paying an amount of tax truly commensurate with their wealth.
Two cheers for the property tax: everyone hates it, but the property tax has some good attributes that make it indispensible
Kotlikoff found that replacing the income taxes with a retail sales tax would more than double the savings rate (after all, the whole world outside consumption becomes an IRA), increase the capital stock by a third, and boost national output by nearly a half trillion dollars.
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The recent election sent to Congress droves of new members intending to cut taxes. President Clinton was elected, in part, because he promised a middle-class tax cut.
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The best you can hope for under the new law is that your tax bracket will stay the same, although you'll still end up paying more in consumption taxes (like the sur-charge on gas).
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"Accounting for income taxes" was a topic left to instructors of intermediate or advanced accounting classes.
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Bush called "voodoo economics." A year later, California passed Proposition 13 capping property taxes, and Time magazine almost ran out of extreme metaphors--"avalanche," "earthquake," "revolutionary"--to describe it.
Read my lips: raise taxes: the era of the tax revolt is over. How Democrats have an opportunity to redefine the politics of government
Finance Minister Flaherty observed recently that "Canada stands out as one of four OECD countries that still impose capital taxes and one of three that impose retail sales taxes on investment.
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If they are not, they are subject to federal taxes and a 10% penalty.
The best use of spare cash: tax-savvy strategy for extra dollars
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