Comments on: Nearly 50% of Households Pay No Federal Income Taxes http://www.pappasontaxes.com/index.php/2009/09/30/nearly-50-of-households-pay-zero-taxes/ Pappas on Taxation Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:09:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: The Huffington Post: 99.33% of Millionaires Pay Income Taxes http://www.pappasontaxes.com/index.php/2009/09/30/nearly-50-of-households-pay-zero-taxes/comment-page-1/#comment-10511 The Huffington Post: 99.33% of Millionaires Pay Income Taxes Sat, 06 Aug 2011 16:10:42 +0000 http://blog.pappastax.com/?p=10084#comment-10511 [...] [...] [...] [...]

]]> By: Pro-Tax True Believer Says Anti-Taxers Want Poor to get Poorer http://www.pappasontaxes.com/index.php/2009/09/30/nearly-50-of-households-pay-zero-taxes/comment-page-1/#comment-10103 Pro-Tax True Believer Says Anti-Taxers Want Poor to get Poorer Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:24:09 +0000 http://blog.pappastax.com/?p=10084#comment-10103 [...] [...] [...] [...]

]]> By: Are Tax Revenues too Low or is Spending too High? http://www.pappasontaxes.com/index.php/2009/09/30/nearly-50-of-households-pay-zero-taxes/comment-page-1/#comment-8923 Are Tax Revenues too Low or is Spending too High? Tue, 08 Feb 2011 12:23:05 +0000 http://blog.pappastax.com/?p=10084#comment-8923 [...] [...] [...] [...]

]]> By: The Tax Man and the Sea http://www.pappasontaxes.com/index.php/2009/09/30/nearly-50-of-households-pay-zero-taxes/comment-page-1/#comment-5669 The Tax Man and the Sea Sun, 30 May 2010 13:59:33 +0000 http://blog.pappastax.com/?p=10084#comment-5669 [...] Nearly 50% of Households Pay no Federal Income Tax [...] [...] Nearly 50% of Households Pay no Federal Income Tax [...]

]]> By: 45% of Americans Live in Households Receiving Government Handouts http://www.pappasontaxes.com/index.php/2009/09/30/nearly-50-of-households-pay-zero-taxes/comment-page-1/#comment-5526 45% of Americans Live in Households Receiving Government Handouts Mon, 17 May 2010 12:55:37 +0000 http://blog.pappastax.com/?p=10084#comment-5526 [...] [...] [...] [...]

]]> By: Peter http://www.pappasontaxes.com/index.php/2009/09/30/nearly-50-of-households-pay-zero-taxes/comment-page-1/#comment-2918 Peter Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:17:37 +0000 http://blog.pappastax.com/?p=10084#comment-2918 Hi Mary, You're right. I changed the title. Of course, these other taxes are not relevant to my point about burden sharing and democratic participation. Hi Mary,

You’re right. I changed the title.

Of course, these other taxes are not relevant to my point about burden sharing and democratic participation.

]]> By: Mary O'Keeffe http://www.pappasontaxes.com/index.php/2009/09/30/nearly-50-of-households-pay-zero-taxes/comment-page-1/#comment-2916 Mary O'Keeffe Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:27:32 +0000 http://blog.pappastax.com/?p=10084#comment-2916 TaxGirl has a good discussion of some of these same issues here. http://www.taxgirl.com/tax-or-no-tax/ TaxGirl has a good discussion of some of these same issues here.

http://www.taxgirl.com/tax-or-no-tax/

]]> By: Mary O'Keeffe http://www.pappasontaxes.com/index.php/2009/09/30/nearly-50-of-households-pay-zero-taxes/comment-page-1/#comment-2914 Mary O'Keeffe Wed, 30 Sep 2009 21:17:16 +0000 http://blog.pappastax.com/?p=10084#comment-2914 Your headline would be correct if it read "Nearly 50% of households pay no federal income taxes." Your actual wording leaves out the critical words "federal income." Without those words, your headline is false. Most American workers pay more in payroll taxes (FICA) than they pay in income taxes. In addition, Americans who pay no income taxes pay federal excise taxes on gasoline and other purchases, as well as a variety of state and local taxes. It is true that our tax system is overall progressive, but the progressivity of the income tax is far more pronounced than the overall progressivity of the tax system as a whole. There are low-income elderly people who pay no federal income tax, but who still shoulder a significant tax burden when you consider the other taxes they pay, especially the property tax. Your headline would be correct if it read “Nearly 50% of households pay no federal income taxes.”

Your actual wording leaves out the critical words “federal income.”

Without those words, your headline is false.

Most American workers pay more in payroll taxes (FICA) than they pay in income taxes.

In addition, Americans who pay no income taxes pay federal excise taxes on gasoline and other purchases, as well as a variety of state and local taxes.

It is true that our tax system is overall progressive, but the progressivity of the income tax is far more pronounced than the overall progressivity of the tax system as a whole.

There are low-income elderly people who pay no federal income tax, but who still shoulder a significant tax burden when you consider the other taxes they pay, especially the property tax.

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