Can you handle Reality? Americans Making Over $50,000 a Year Paid 93.3 Percent of All Taxes in 2010

These numbers are so slanted and skewed it is just ridiculous.

I have never made 50k a year.

My taxes, like many other Americans, is deducted from my paycheck before I ever get it.

I have not filed taxes in 15 years.

Of those 15 years I was entitled to a full refund each and every year.

Since I did not file, the Government got to keep all the money they took from me.

However, since I was entitled to a full refund, that money is not considered "paid taxes" even though the Government kept the money. That is the funny thing about numbers, you can manipulate them and classify things in such a way that you can very literally present them in such a way to push any message you want to send.

no kidding

notice the ETR

it is not 93% and 0%

think about it.....it's about scale silly

Scrap the income tax code, replace with a national sales tax. Everyone pays their fair share.

Rich buy more stuff so will contribute more, illegal immigrants buy stuff, corporations buy stuff, everyone buys stuff.

Your money won't be taxed unless you actually buy stuff. Paying off debt isn't buying anything so wouldn't be taxed.

Ron Paul 2012.

reply to post by MrWendal

I have not filed taxes in 15 years.

Of those 15 years I was entitled to a full refund each and every year.

Ok, because you haven't filed taxes in 15 years let me break this to you. No, you wouldn't have gotten a full refund UNLESS you qualified for deductions and credits. If you didn't qualify for those deductions and credits, you would have probably gotten some of your money back, but not all of it, you would still have ended up paying tax on it.

However, since I was entitled to a full refund, that money is not considered "paid taxes" even though the Government kept the money. That is the funny thing about numbers, you can manipulate them and classify things in such a way that you can very literally present them in such a way to push any message you want to send.

So, is it the governments fault that YOU didn't send in the proper paperwork in order to get the money that is rightfully yours back?

You're right, that wouldn't be considered paid taxes because that money would have been held in an escrow account, awaiting you to file a return, since you didn't do that, the government still can't use that money, and it just sits there collecting interest and making the government in essence "free money" instead of it going back into YOUR pocket.

I simply think there needs to be new tax brackets - at 1 million, 10 million, 20 million etc...

Originally posted by links234
even if they only made $50k or $60k.

Only????

Hell, one year I made around 30 Grand. On top of all the withholding that they took from me throughout the year I still had to pay.

If you are single. with no kids, and do not hold a mortgage you are $%^^&&*!

It is a slap in the face to all working people for these people to say that some pay no tax at all.

i dont see why the OP topic is surprising!

it make sense there has to be a threshold somewhere, where most peoples standardized deductions, exemptions, credits all max out and TAX kicks in.

apparently that threshold is around an even $50K over which 93% of tax is paid by those with more income.

makes total sense when u remember exemptions/deducts/credits and non-taxables, the first few tens of thousands of income are standard/legal write offs

The title to this thread is suspect. "......paid 93% of ALL taxes... "

reply to post by BiggerPicture


Actually it's completely erroneous as not all taxes are income taxes. People pay tax on a wide variety of purchases, services, and ownership. I highly doubt that people making over 50k a year pay more for cigarettes than a person making under 12k a year. The same two groups also pay the same taxes at the pump.

As far as income taxes go, if a person does not qualify for certain tax breaks and credits, they do end up paying income taxes even if they make 14k a year. They do often get a refund for some of the tax that has been withheld by their employer, but there is a tax that is paid.