For the past 108 years, American telephone owners have been paying the Federal Excise Tax, meant to help finance the Spanish-American War.
That's right. A tax enacted in 1898 is still on your phone bill, but not for much longer. Although word began to spread about this tax in February this year, it's taken Congress until now to repeal the tax. Luckily, you can get a refund for the last three years' worth of taxes when you file your 2006 tax return. The followup article at The Motley Fool gives more details, along with a roundup of resources on how to get -- and maximize -- the refund.