Americans on average spent more of their 2016 income on taxes than they did on food and clothing combined.
The fact was revealed in data released earlier this week by the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics, CNS News reported. The data was collected by the Census Bureau.
The BLS numbers show that the average "consumer unit"—each financially independent family—spent $10,489 for federal, state, and local taxes compared to spending $1,803 on clothing and $7,203 on food.
The new data also revealed that taxes paid by Americans increased from 2013 to 2016. Personal taxes, on average, went from $7,423 for a consumer unit up to $10,489. That is a 41 percent increase for combined local, state, and federal taxes.
The new tax data comes as the Trump administration is pressuring Congress to pass tax reform. Critics have, for years, barraged the U.S tax code for its complicated nature and its high rates.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump outlined his tax reform agenda during a speech in Springfield, Mo. The president called it a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity to reform the system, and warned Congress he did not want to be "disappointed," the Washington Free Beacon reported.
Despite the amount Americans spend on taxes, the U.S. federal government has run a deficit nearly every fiscal year since 1970. The current national debt is approximately $20 trillion.