Further, each level of government has its own revenue requirements and its own social agenda.

Taxes arise at the federal, state and local levels. Taxes are usually based on some activity or circumstance. These include in respect to net worth (wealth tax), the ownership of a home (property tax), the earning of income (income tax), the sale of property (capital gains tax), the purchase of goods or services (sales tax), switching homes (land transfer tax), movement (fuel surcharges), the storing of information (blank media tax), the transporation of goods (import taxes), the giving of goods and services (gift taxes), dying (succession tax) and having fun (sin tax on alcohol, for instance). Merely being in conflict with the state can give rise to tax (expropriation). Some jurisdictions have taxes that arise merely if one is alive, a head or capitation tax (while often behind a tax is a social agenda to reduce a particular activity, such as the case with sin taxes, we are sure that is not the case with this tax!!).

As well, taxes can depend on legal status, such as being an individual, a corporation or having a family (the additional tax burden that arises if the family decides to raise the children itself).