Wealth tax, capital good points hikes draw bipartisan help in US battlegrounds

A sweeping new survey of greater than 20,000 Americans has discovered bipartisan majority help for elevating federal taxes on the super wealthy and people with very excessive incomes.

The survey, carried out throughout 11 aggressive states and 28 aggressive House districts by the University of Maryland’s Program for Public Consultation (PPC), launched October 1, 2026, discovered that majorities of each Democrats and Republicans in nearly each battleground state and district favor an annual federal wealth tax of two% on wealth over $50 million and three% on wealth over $1 billion – a measure that may generate an estimated $200 billion in new income.

Where Republicans and Democrats agree

Support for the proposed wealth tax ran from 81% to 95% amongst Democrats and 58% to 84% amongst Republicans throughout particular person battleground states and districts. Nationally, 88% of Democrats and 72% of Republicans expressed help, for an total approval price of roughly eight in ten Americans.

Capital good points reform drew equally broad backing. For households incomes $1 million or extra yearly, taxing capital good points on the similar price as peculiar revenue was supported by bipartisan majorities in each battleground surveyed – 74% to 92% amongst Democrats and 54% to 73% amongst Republicans – and nationally by 83% of Democrats and 70% of Republicans. That proposal alone would increase roughly $120 billion.

The carried curiosity rule (lengthy a flashpoint in debates over tax equity) additionally seems ripe for change. Ending the preferential tax therapy for hedge fund managers’ revenue drew bipartisan majority help throughout all 39 battlegrounds, with 75% to 93% of Democrats and 57% to 81% of Republicans in favor. The estimated income impression is roughly $1 billion.

For advisors whose shoppers embody private equity principals or hedge fund professionals, that discovering alone warrants a planning evaluation.

Estate and revenue tax pressures

Beyond the wealth tax headline, the survey information factors to 2 further areas the place advisors ought to be making ready shoppers.

Lowering the federal property tax exemption from $15 million to $5 million, thereby making use of the tax to a broader pool of inherited wealth, was favored by majorities of Democrats in each battleground surveyed and by majorities of Republicans in 27 of 39 battlegrounds. Nationally, 71% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans had been in favor, with the measure projected to boost roughly $17 billion in income.

Meanwhile, elevating the efficient revenue tax price on households incomes $1 million or extra (from the present common of 27% to a minimum of 29%) drew majority help total and amongst Democrats in each battleground, and amongst Republicans in 21 of the 39 battlegrounds. That change would improve federal income by an estimated $73 billion.

What advisors ought to do now

The PPC survey was fielded between July 21 and August 17, 2026, throughout practically 20,000 adults in battleground states and districts.

 Steven Kull, director of the Program for Public Consultation on the University of Maryland, famous the consistency of the findings. “Republicans and Democrats agree that federal taxes ought to be raised on the super wealthy and people with very excessive revenue – sufficient to generate a minimum of $455 billion in new income. This is true nationally and in most battleground states and districts,” Kull stated.

That stage of consensus throughout get together traces and geographies is unusual in modern US politics. Bipartisan polling help for tax will increase on the rich traditionally accelerates the legislative timeline. Clients uncovered to any of those proposed modifications – wealth taxes, capital good points reform, property tax tightening, or revenue tax hikes – profit from reviewing methods now relatively than reacting after laws advances.

The PPC survey outcomes for all particular person states and districts are available at vop.org.