April 23rd is this year’s “Tax Freedom Day” — the day you stop working for the government and start working for yourself.

The Tax Foundation, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, estimates the annual measure each year. Today is the day that Americans, on average, stop working to pay their total federal, state, and local tax bill and start working for themselves.

Think about that for a moment. Every second you’ve worked so far this year has been worked solely to pay off your total 2008 tax bill. You have yet to earn a single dollar for yourself. How free do you feel?

If the idea of “Tax Freedom Day” interests you, then I would encourage you to check out our new tax estimator, where we calculate your personal tax freedom day for just Missouri state and local taxes. Because this calculation is personal, rather than an average, it can really help to drive the point home. I hope yours is sooner than mine.