General taxes can describe the most common levies paid by individuals over the course of their lives. While there are a number of different taxes enacted in the United States by a variety of levying authorities, there are a few that almost every citizen will incur. The most common general taxes include such things as income, sales, property and service taxes. Some taxes can be reduced by deductions, credits and write offs. Others can only be avoided by not making certain purchases or using specific services.