Federal Individual Income Tax Data

[mraynrand]

Tell me how the data is wrong.

The data.

It is wrong because it the two leading sources of tax information for Congress — the Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation say the info isn't correct.

OK, I'll take you at face value. If the numbers are wrong, then correct them. Here they are:

1. The top 1% account for 39.89 % of all tax receipts.
2. The top 10% account for 70.79% of all tax receipts.
3. The top 50% account for 97.01% of all tax receipts.
4. The top 50% are paying more and more every year during the Bush years.
5. The average tax rate for the bottom 50% is 3.01%
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Either change the percent taxes paid by each percentage group or change the top xx% that pay the listed percent, to reflect the correct numbers. If they are wrong, and you know it, it should be possible to present the correct numbers and your source. Please do so for our benefit.

It isn't possible to do the math because they use tax items that aren't really tax items.

These include: optional Medicare premiums that older Americans pay if they wish to receive coverage for physician's services under Medicare; intra-governmental transfers that are solely bookkeeping devices and not taxes; employee and employer contributions to state and local government pension plans, some of which results in the double-counting of taxes; and rental payments that individuals or businesses pay to state or local governments to rent property those governments own. The Foundation's inclusion of items that are not taxes overstates state and local tax burdens by about one-seventh.

The whole methodology is flawed.

Give us the correct numbers and methodology then. Or should we just take 1/7 off of each category. If you know the numbers are wrong then give us the correct numbers.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

I wont' do that, that is treating you like a child, and i feel you are becoming dependent upon me.

Surely, as a good conserv you want to do the work yourself..don't want you becoming weaned on my brain power.

[HowardRoark]

I stand by my numbers until proven otherwise.

[SkinBasket]

I wont' do that, that is treating you like a child

You mean the same way you expect everyone here treat you?

[mraynrand]

I wont' do that, that is treating you like a child, and i feel you are becoming dependent upon me.

Surely, as a good conserv you want to do the work yourself..don't want you becoming weaned on my brain power.

I assume you can't do it. Either because you're not capable, or the numbers Howard presented are correct, or more likely, both. And Tex is right - we know who pays the bills anyway.

[HowardRoark]

It isn't possible to do the math because they use tax items that aren't really tax items.

These include: optional Medicare premiums that older Americans pay if they wish to receive coverage for physician's services under Medicare; intra-governmental transfers that are solely bookkeeping devices and not taxes; employee and employer contributions to state and local government pension plans, some of which results in the double-counting of taxes; and rental payments that individuals or businesses pay to state or local governments to rent property those governments own. The Foundation's inclusion of items that are not taxes overstates state and local tax burdens by about one-seventh.

The whole methodology is flawed.

BTW.....what the hell are you talking about here?

It's simple. AGI numbers from the IRS. Click the link in my link.

[MadScientist]

Going under the assumption that the data in all of the charts, It's pretty easy to pick out some numbers that support a position opposite of yours. Specifically the percent of Adjusted Gross Income paid in taxes for the top 1% dropped from 28+% during the 90's to under 23% today, whereas the bottom 50% had a drop from 4 to 3%. So, since the highest 1% got the largest cut, they are the ones who need to own up to cover the mess we're in.

[HowardRoark]

"Cherish, therefore, the spirit of our people, and keep alive their attention. Do not be too severe upon their errors, but reclaim them by enlightening them. If once they become inattentive to the public affairs, you and I, and Congress, and Assemblies, Judges, and Governors, shall all become wolves"

Thomas Jefferson