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It’s the start of the new academic year, so let's have some fun with this next blog!

Did you know?

Urban legend claims that King Henry VIII introduced a beard tax in 1535. This is somewhat ironic as Henry wore a beard himself. But the King taxing himself back in those days? Come on! Then again, you have to give credit to the tax collectors for their imagination, so many ways to squeeze an extra groat or two out of the populace at the time!  

The tax was a 'graduated tax'. Meaning that it’s a system where the tax rate is divided into brackets depending on the wearer’s social status at the time.

We see a graduated tax system with our income tax system where higher earners have a greater tax liability than those who earn less. For us, it’s a rate of 20% on anything we earn between £12,570 and £50,270, plus 40% on anything we earn between £50,270 and £150,000, plus 45% on anything we earn over £150,000.

Surely this sounds fantastical? Turns out it was because records of such a tax being introduced are severely lacking, according to The National Archives.

However, in Russia ....

In 1698, Tsar Peter I of Russia (also known as Peter the Great) introduced a beard tax after he developed anti-beard sentiments following a tour of Western Europe. He was convinced that Russia was behind the times and was inspired to modernise the country economically, both scientifically and sartorially.

This was another graduated tax based on the social status of the wearer.

The tax liability was:

• For peasants = 2 half-kopeks every time they entered a city
• For Muscovites (citizens of Moscow) = 30 rubles a year
• For military, government, merchants and townsfolks = 60 rubles a year
• For wealthy merchants = 100 rubles a year

A 'beard token' was required to be carried by those who paid the tax to show proof that the tax had been paid.

When it was introduced, there was resistance from the religious communities. The dominant religion in Russia was and remains Russian Orthodox Christianity, which still to this day holds highly conservative views on religious purity, often with masculinity being linked to longer facial hair. In 1772, the tax was eliminated.

And in New Jersey, …

In 1907, a member of the New Jersey State Legislature introduced a bill for a beard tax. The member argued that men who grew beards “had something to hide” as 2 serial killers wore facial hair.

The proposed base tax liability was to be $1 per year. Depending on the features of the facial hair, others were taxed a different amount:

• Men with facial hair longer than 6 inches (roughly down to your collarbone) = $2 per inch per year
• Bald men with facial hair = $5 per year
• Men with goatee beards = $10 per year
• Men with ginger beards = an extra 20% on top of the yearly liability!

It was never bought into law in the end, and we don’t know if it was ever a serious piece of legislation. But it sounds utterly nonsensical, right!

What would this look like now?

The UK values of the Russian 1698 taxes are hard to find, but today these taxes would look like this:

• For low earners = one hundredth of 1p every time they entered a city
• For Londoners = 43p a year
• For military, government, business owners and townspeople = 85p a year
• For wealthy business owners or C-suite executives or law firm Partners = £1.42 a year

And today’s UK values of the nonsensical New Jersey tax liabilities would look like this:

• Base tax liability = 86p
• Men with facial hair longer than 6 inches = £1.72 per inch per year
• Bald men with facial hair = £4.29 per year
• Men with goatee beards = £8.58 per year
• Men with ginger beards = an extra 20% on top of the yearly liability!

The impact of this tax

I have facial hair, it isn’t very long, and I’m a townsperson because my home is a town, not the city or countryside. My liability would be 85p per year under the old Russian tax system, and 86p per year under the silly New Jersey system. My tax liability would be the same as bearded MPs like Ben Bradley or Jeremy Corbyn. However, I will feel the liability much more than them given the difference in wealth.

Doesn’t seem like a lot. However, I like sporting facial hair, if for no other reason than I look babyfaced without it! I’m also 32 and have perhaps 50 or so years of life to go.

If you do the maths, that’s 50 years x 85p = £4,250. Or 50 years x 86p = £4,300. And if I were taxed by both systems, then that's £8,550 that I'll be paying over the rest of my life!

As far as simple tax planning goes, simply shaving would totally eliminate the liability. But when you consider the cost of items such as razors, shaving gel and water, the cost rises. In fact, the cost of these could well exceed the tax liability over my lifetime!

What’s the answer?

Sadly, it would be a “damned if I do and damned if I don’t” scenario if this tax was introduced.

Then again, if employers have rules or universally agreed standards when it comes to appearances and grooming, given that you will be representing your employer in and out of the office, I’d still recommend putting in the effort to appear and present yourself well, whether that’s clothing, hair or facial hair.

Whichever way you cut it, tax or no tax, costs money to look good!

Get it... cut!

Well, I liked it at least! So, I’ll leave this blog on that clever pun right there!