bonnie Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_percentage_of_federal_income_tax_is_paid_by_the_wealthy Disclaimer What percentage of federal income tax is paid by the wealthy? In: Taxes and Tax Preparation Answer Well, I'm not sure where you define wealthy...but the upper 50% of the wage earners pay @97% of all tax collections, and the lower ones only @3%. The upper of the upper pay a disproportionate share of that too, the Top 1% of earners = 37% of taxes paid, the next bracket 2-5% accounts for another 20%. So about 57% paid by the top 5%. Especially as this is for Personal Income Tax only, and many of the more wealthy have much of the income taxed (some would say double taxed) by in the Corporate returns of those corporations they control/own. Also, this is of those filing returns. The percentage of people whose income is, because of deductions/exemptions below where they have to file returns, and with things like Earned Income tax credits, actually get more back than they might pay, is huge...something like 40% of the populace. And of course, the lower earners pay at much reduced rate anyway. Some quick statistics: The top 1% of earners pay 21.20% of all taxes paid at an average rate of 24%, the top 2 - 5% of earners pay 14.55% of all taxes at an average of 18% (Top 5% pay @36% of all tax) The bottom 50% pay 3% of all tax collected at an average rate of 2.98%. Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted June 24, 2009 Share Posted June 24, 2009 Quote: The top 1% of earners pay . . . . at an average rate of 24%, the top 2 - 5% of earners pay . . . .at an average of 18% . . . . The bottom 50% . . . .at an average rate of 2.98%. Does this include cheating? all groups probably equally guilty! Seriously, wouldn't it be better if everyone paid at an equal rate only on all income that is above the poverty level? Just curious... dab Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted June 24, 2009 Author Share Posted June 24, 2009 Quote: The top 1% of earners pay . . . . at an average rate of 24%, the top 2 - 5% of earners pay . . . .at an average of 18% . . . . The bottom 50% . . . .at an average rate of 2.98%. Does this include cheating? all groups probably equally guilty! Seriously, wouldn't it be better if everyone paid at an equal rate only on all income that is above the poverty level? Just curious... dab Have to be careful as Semmelweis Reflex may strike again. One might think so but that is not considered fair. Pretty simple if I make 50,000.00 a year and pay 10%,you make 75,000.00 and pay 10%, Or someone makes 100,000.00 and pays 10%. There is a need that is almost a illness to condemn those that make more than the average income. The only cure is to take from them and give to others. Mention taxes and what follows is the "rich need to pay more" mindset. Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Hmmm. Not sure where you are headed, Bonnie. Of course, the objective of most of us is NOT to be "fair." If it were fairness we loved than the housemaid would be paid at the same rate (per hours on the job) as the Senator (per hours on the job). In other words there would be a minimum wage and a maximum wage and they would both be the very same amount! But I've been thinking - perhaps the present system is the best afterall because we pay our congressmen with our votes to take care of these things for us - and lo! and Behold!- the marketplace of our votes and our congressmen's self-interests has given us our present graduated system! dab Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Quote: Hmmm. Not sure where you are headed, Bonnie. Of course, the objective of most of us is NOT to be "fair." If it were fairness we loved than the housemaid would be paid at the same rate (per hours on the job) as the Senator (per hours on the job). In other words there would be a minimum wage and a maximum wage and they would both be the very same amount! Aside of the fact I consider the bulk of the politicians similar to a prostitute your example of fairness is flawed. Those that spend years in college with tremendous student loans are not the same as a dropout. They don't have any skills and don't seem to think they need any. Quote: But I've been thinking - perhaps the present system is the best afterall because we pay our congressmen with our votes to take care of these things for us - and lo! and Behold!- the marketplace of our votes and our congressmen's self-interests has given us our present graduated system! dab We have no choice to pay them. They are the only ones that can tell their "employer" (us) that they are getting a raise I consider most politicans legalized prostitutes. Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ted Oplinger Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Quote: Have to be careful as Semmelweis Reflex may strike again. The Semmelweis Reflex is kind of pandemic these days over much of the US population... Quote: Pretty simple if I make 50,000.00 a year and pay 10%,you make 75,000.00 and pay 10%, Or someone makes 100,000.00 and pays 10%. If it's good enough to support the work of God, then it should be sage advice for the affairs of man's government. After all, God's tithe isn't a regressive thing, is it? Quote: There is a need that is almost a illness to condemn those that make more than the average income. The only cure is to take from them and give to others.Mention taxes and what follows is the "rich need to pay more" mindset. The commandments "Thou shalt not covet" and "Thou shalt not steal" apply as much on people's attitude toward those who "have" as much as to those who are greedy for more at the expense of the little man. Every time I run into a "soak the rich" conversation and ask about these two commandments, I usually get silence for a response... Stealing is stealing, no matter if one person forces another to fork over the cash, or if 51% of a group vote to use the force of the state to achieve the same ends. While governments were largely out of the common man's control, people aren't accountable for theft through taxes - the rulers were. In democracies and republics, though, we are accountable to the commandments should we vote to strip anyone of their money simply to gratify a social itch. The rich have the same Advocate in heaven as the poor...a thought that gets very little attention today. Ted Quote "As iron sharpens iron, so also does one man sharpen another" - Proverbs 27:17 "The offense of the cross is that the cross is a confession of human frailty and sin and of inability to do any good thing. To take the cross of Christ means to depend solely on Him for everything, and this is the abasement of all human pride. Men love to fancy themselves independent. But let the cross be preached, let it be made known that in man dwells no good thing and that all must be received as a gift, and straightway someone is offended." Ellet J. Waggoner, The Glad Tidings "Courage is being scared to death - and saddling up anyway" - John Wayne "The person who pays an ounce of principle for a pound of popularity gets badly cheated" - Ronald Reagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D. Allan Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Quote: I consider most politicans legalized prostitutes. It's an apt metaphor, bonnie Quote dAb O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Quote: The Semmelweis Reflex is kind of pandemic these days over much of the US population... A quick read of this forum bears this out. Quote: If it's good enough to support the work of God, then it should be sage advice for the affairs of man's government. After all, God's tithe isn't a regressive thing, is it? Quote: The commandments "Thou shalt not covet" and "Thou shalt not steal" apply as much on people's attitude toward those who "have" as much as to those who are greedy for more at the expense of the little man. That is not fair. If you work 12 hours a day to provide what you want and need for your family and I work 6 hours a day or many times not at all,it is not fair you have more than I. Government will fix that Quote: Every time I run into a "soak the rich" conversation and ask about these two commandments, I usually get silence for a response... Stealing is stealing, no matter if one person forces another to fork over the cash, or if 51% of a group vote to use the force of the state to achieve the same ends. For me that is because what is being promoted is not biblical. Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 In democracies and republics, though, we are accountable to the commandments should we vote to strip anyone of their money simply to gratify a social itch. Revising policies so that wealth flows other places besides just up is not stripping anyone of their money. Nor is it against the commandments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 That is not fair. If you work 12 hours a day to provide what you want and need for your family and I work 6 hours a day or many times not at all,it is not fair you have more than I.Government will fix that I work part time, and believe it or not, I fully expect that people who work full time will make more than me. If/when I want/need more money, I can work full time, as well. If it were true that the more you work, the more you make, that would be fair. But some of the rich do not work much at all, while many poor people work long hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Well, I'm not sure where you define wealthy...but the upper 50% of the wage earners pay @97% of all tax collections, and the lower ones only @3%. It looks like this entire article is about wage earners. The problem is that most of the wealthy do not get their income from wages. They get their income from dividends and interest and other things. It really amazes me how so many people are so ready and willing to stick up for the obscenely wealthy. Really, they are doing just fine on their own and don't need anyone's help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Originally Posted By: Ted_Oplinger In democracies and republics, though, we are accountable to the commandments should we vote to strip anyone of their money simply to gratify a social itch. Revising policies so that wealth flows other places besides just up is not stripping anyone of their money. Nor is it against the commandments. When you revise policies so that "you redistribute wealth" Obama's words it is stripping others of their money. Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Originally Posted By: bonnie That is not fair. If you work 12 hours a day to provide what you want and need for your family and I work 6 hours a day or many times not at all,it is not fair you have more than I.Government will fix that I work part time, and believe it or not, I fully expect that people who work full time will make more than me. If/when I want/need more money, I can work full time, as well. If it were true that the more you work, the more you make, that would be fair. But some of the rich do not work much at all, while many poor people work long hours. Those that have inherited or have been successful at a business so they do not need to work,IS NO ONE'S BUSINESS. Unless the rich are rich because they steal the money or obtain it dishonestly what business is it of yours as to the hours they work. Poor people are often poor and remain so because of a lack of education and a refusal or unwillingness to gain a skill or education. Many my husband worked for would not put in a 1/4 of the hours my husband did. So What??? That was our business how? Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Originally Posted By: carolaa Revising policies so that wealth flows other places besides just up is not stripping anyone of their money. Nor is it against the commandments. [/quote'] When you revise policies so that "you redistribute wealth" Obama's words it is stripping others of their money. All policies redistribute wealth. The policies we have in place redistribute too much wealth upward. We need to correct that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Those that have inherited or have been successful at a business so they do not need to work,IS NO ONE'S BUSINESS.Unless the rich are rich because they steal the money or obtain it dishonestly what business is it of yours as to the hours they work. Poor people are often poor and remain so because of a lack of education and a refusal or unwillingness to gain a skill or education. Many my husband worked for would not put in a 1/4 of the hours my husband did. So What??? That was our business how? I never said it was anyone's business. I said it is not necessarily true that the more hours one works, the more money they make. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Quote: It looks like this entire article is about wage earners. The problem is that most of the wealthy do not get their income from wages. They get their income from dividends and interest and other things. Do you know how they were able to receive their income that led to dividends and interest? You care how they obtained their wealth WHY??? Unless you know they stole it or cheated it flat out is none of your business. Quote: It really amazes me how so many people are so ready and willing to stick up for the obscenely wealthy. Really, they are doing just fine on their own and don't need anyone's help. Why should you be amazed? Isn't it legal to be rich? Some people do not suffer from the little green eyed monster. As long as my husband and I were not denied the opportunity to work as hard as we wanted and to become wealthy if that were our aim,why do I care how hard others worked or if they inherited from wealthy parents. It isn't a matter of "sticking up for the extremely wealthy". For some it is a lack of resentment towards those that live better than we do. And the little word "fairness" Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Quote: I never said it was anyone's business. I said it is not necessarily true that the more hours one works, the more money they make. Quote: If it were true that the more you work, the more you make, that would be fair. But some of the rich do not work much at all, while many poor people work long hours. Again, what do you care how many hours your neighbor may work? Why do you care what hours the rich work? It is none of your business. Nor is it your business or that of anyone else to take from them to level the playing field. I am not responsible for the person that does not obtain a education or is unwilling to put forth the extreme effort of doing better. I am responsible as a christian for helping those I can,not thru mandating the government take from the "wealthy" and redistribute their wealth and and hard work or inheritance. Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Quote: It looks like this entire article is about wage earners. The problem is that most of the wealthy do not get their income from wages. They get their income from dividends and interest and other things. Do you know how they were able to receive their income that led to dividends and interest? You care how they obtained their wealth WHY??? Unless you know they stole it or cheated it flat out is none of your business. No one said anything about being anyone's business or being jealous. The point is that wage earners pay more taxes than non wage earners. In general, the rich and the poor both have a sense of entitlement and don't pay a lot of taxes. But for some reason, the middle class, the wage earners who actually pay most of the taxes, love to defend the wealthy. Really, the wealthy don't need us to stick up for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted June 25, 2009 Share Posted June 25, 2009 Again, what do you care how many hours your neighbor may work? Why do you care what hours the rich work? It is none of your business. Nor is it your business or that of anyone else to take from them to level the playing field. I am not responsible for the person that does not obtain a education or is unwilling to put forth the extreme effort of doing better. I am responsible as a christian for helping those I can,not thru mandating the government take from the "wealthy" and redistribute their wealth and and hard work or inheritance. Bonnie, chill. You are the one who brought up that people who work less make less. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted June 25, 2009 Author Share Posted June 25, 2009 Quote: Bonnie, chill. You are the one who brought up that people who work less make less. No Bonnie does not need to chill because Carol decides it is time.It seem to me this was said by you..... It seem to me this was said by you..... If it were true that the more you work, the more you make, that would be fair. But some of the rich do not work much at all, while many poor people work long hours. Life is not fair,never has been. Government cannot make it fair. Nor is it the function of government in a free society to make it fair. They can increase the misery but cannot increase the wealth of the poor. The poor can be fed if hungry and given shelter but that is not increasing their wealth to make life fair. Education and obtaining a skill and just plain hard work is the way that the poor can be lifted out of poverty. Taking from the wealthy,those that don't work as many hours as you think they should is temporary at best. Nor is it "fair' to take from one segment and give to another. Without that hated wealthy most of us would not have employment Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolaa Posted June 26, 2009 Share Posted June 26, 2009 It seem to me this was said by you..... If it were true that the more you work, the more you make, that would be fair. But some of the rich do not work much at all, while many poor people work long hours. I was responding to you; you brought it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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