“Death and Taxes” Meaning, Origin and Examples

Last updated on October 8, 2024 by Liam Daniel

Have you ever been listening to a conversation when you heard the term ‘death and taxes’ and wondered what it meant? We are going to take a look at the meaning behind this phrase and where it came from along with some ways that it can be incorporated into your day to day conversations.

Death and Taxes Meaning, Origin and Usage

Key Takeaways

  • “Death and Taxes” means that both death and taxes are inevitable and unavoidable parts of life. The phrase highlights the certainty of these two events.
Death and Taxes Meaning
Death and Taxes Meaning – Created by 7ESL

Death and Taxes Meaning

The phrase “Death and Taxes” refers to the idea that both death and taxes are inevitable, meaning they are two certainties in life that cannot be avoided. It reflects a somewhat humorous or resigned view that no matter what happens in life, people will inevitably die, and they will have to pay taxes.

The phrase is commonly attributed to American statesman Benjamin Franklin, who famously wrote in 1789:
“In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

It is often used to express that no matter how much things change, some things remain constant and unavoidable.

Origin of this Idiom

As we mentioned earlier, the phrase was originally written in a letter by Benjamin Franklin. This letter was written in the 1700s and the preceding words to the phrase read as follows; ‘but nothing in this world can said to be certain, except death and taxes.’

Usage of Death and Taxes

Here are some examples of how the phrase “Death and Taxes” can be used:

  1. General observation:
    “No matter how much technology advances, some things will always remain constant—like death and taxes.”
  2. Business context:
    “Running a business comes with many challenges, but at the end of the day, you can’t escape death and taxes.”
  3. Philosophical conversation:
    “He said with a sigh, ‘There are only two guarantees in life: death and taxes.'”
  4. In a humorous context:
    “Trying to avoid paying taxes is like trying to avoid death—it’s inevitable. Death and taxes always find you.”
  5. Political discussion:
    “The new tax reforms might offer some relief, but as the saying goes, death and taxes are certain.”

Related Terms to “Death and Taxes”

  • Life’s certainties – A general phrase referring to things in life that are guaranteed or inevitable.
  • The only sure things – Refers to the few things that are certain to happen, often used in the same context as “death and taxes.”
  • Inevitable – Something that cannot be avoided or escaped, often used in discussions about the unavoidable aspects of life.
  • Unavoidable fate – Refers to something that is destined to happen and cannot be prevented, like death and taxes.
  • Cost of living – Refers to the financial obligations (like taxes) that come with simply existing in the modern world.
  • Circle of life – A term often used to describe the natural cycle of birth, life, and death.
  • Mortality – The concept of human life being finite, closely related to the inevitability of death.
  • Legal obligations – Responsibilities or duties (like taxes) that must be fulfilled by law, reflecting their unavoidable nature.
  • Guaranteed events – Refers to things that are sure to happen, much like death and taxes.
  • Inescapable truths – Refers to facts or realities that cannot be avoided, similar to the certainty of death and taxes.

Other Ways to Say the Phrase

There are other ways in which you can express the meaning of the idiom ‘death and taxes.’ Here are some examples of that.

  • Nothing is guaranteed
  • You can never be certain of anything

“Death and Taxes” Examples

Example Sentences

You might use this saying when explaining to someone that you cannot be certain about a situation. You might use it to explain to someone that you cannot give them a certain time for the arrival of their package by saying something like

  • ‘I cannot guarantee your package will arrive by Monday, death and taxes.’

You can also use it to express that there are only two things that can be certain in life by saying something like

  • ‘I don’t know whether you will end up going on that dream holiday to Australia because there are only two certainties in life, and they are death and taxes.’

Conversation Examples

If you are interested to know more about how this phrase might fit into a conversation then here are some examples of how it might look. In the first conversation we see someone explaining that they cannot be sure that someone will not get sick and in the second we see two people expressing that there can only be a guarantee of two things.

Conversation 1:

  • Person 1:“Do you promise that I will not get sick?”
  • Person 2: “I can’t promise, nothing in life in certain, except for death and taxes.’

Conversation 2:

  • Person 1: “I would love to guarantee it but sadly I can’t.”
  • Person 2: “Of course you can’t, nothing is certain except death and taxes after all.”
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