Ten great quotes about tax

For the new tax year, there's plenty to be depressed about. If you're not hit by the myriad of benefit cuts, then there's a good chance that you'll be stung by the changes to Road Tax, or the nasty hikes in Council Tax. However, you're not the first to be endlessly frustrated by tax changes - everyone from Oscar Wilde to Winston Churchill has weighed in on the subject.

See also: Brace yourself for National Price Rise Day

See also: Should you use your ISA allowance or wait for the new LISA?

See also: The madness of high-earners' pension rules

To bring the ghost of a smile on a highly depressing day, we therefore present, some of the greatest ever quotes about tax.

And while we can take some comfort from these quotes, we can also learn three things about tax that could come in handy for the remainder of this year.

1. We can cut our tax bill
Jimmy Kimmel might have been joking about wealthy Americans investing offshore to avoid tax, but you don't have to do anything dodgy in order to pay less tax. This year you can put up to £20,000 into an ISA - as well as invest in a Lifetime ISA if you're under 40, and put money into a pension.

2. No tax is ever set in stone
As Philip Hammond noted, things can change quickly in politics, and as a result they can change in the tax world too. It should give us comfort that one day our tax bill may seem fairer. However, it's also a reminder that if we want to take advantage of a tax break, we should do so sooner rather than later. Higher rate taxpayers, for example, have been warned for months that at some point, the tax breaks on their pensions will be less generous. If they have failed to invest while they could get the most benefit from it, they have no-one to blame but themselves

3. It's OK to admit you don't understand
If tax is too complex for Einstein, then the rest of us can be forgiven for needing help. You should never be ashamed to pick up the phone to HMRC, ask questions of its online service, or get in touch with Citizens Advice or an accountant. You should feel free to ask questions - and keep asking them until you understand.