Annie Lowrey warns that bureaucratic hurdles impose a hidden 'time tax' on the needy

Journalist Annie Lowrey, author of The Time Tax, explains that long lines, phone holds and cumbersome forms act as a "time tax" primarily affecting people applying for unemployment, disability and food assistance. She notes that recent paperwork and work-requirement changes have already excluded millions from programs like SSI, TANF and WIC, using the unemployment insurance system as a case study of confusing processes.

Lowrey links this burden to a broader "low-trust society," suggesting that mistrust of government reduces civic engagement, including voter turnout. She contrasts these failures with Social Security’s roughly 1 % overhead and low error rate, showing that efficient administration is possible. To ease the time tax, she proposes simplifying eligibility rules, allocating more budget to update digital systems, and setting an explicit goal of lessening citizen burdens.