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Politics : GOPwinger Lies/Distortions/Omissions/Perversions of Truth -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kevin Rose who wrote (142957)	10/24/2008 3:25:57 PM
From: geode00	Respond to of 173976

Two-Thirds of Tax Units Pay More Payroll Tax Than Income Tax April 15 is synonymous with taxes in the United States, but most Americans actually pay more payroll taxes than federal income taxes. In 2006 workers and employers each paid 6.2 percent Social Security tax on the first $94,200 of earnings and 1.45 percent Medicare tax on all wages. While the statutory obligation to pay payroll taxes is split evenly between workers and employers, most economists believe that the employer tax usually translates into lower wages, so workers bear the full burden of the tax. Thus, the total payroll tax rate equals 15.3 percent of earnings for most workers. About two-thirds of taxpayers owed more payroll taxes (including the employer portion) than individual income taxes in 2006. Many households (including most retirees) do not have any wage income and thus pay no payroll tax. Among households with wage earners, 86 percent have higher payroll taxes than income taxes, including almost all of those with incomes less than $40,000 and 94 percent of those with incomes less than $100,000. If only the employee portion of payroll taxes is considered, 44 percent of taxpayers and 56 percent of wage earners pay more payroll tax than income tax, including nearly 80 percent of earners with incomes less than $50,000. The payroll tax is very regressive with respect to current income: The average tax rate falls as income rises. The income tax, in contrast, is progressive. The regressivity of the payroll tax is mitigated to a substantial extent when Social Security and Medicare benefits are considered as well (not shown). urban.org ==================== "Bets on a U.S. housing crisis earned hedge fund manager John Paulson $3.7 billion in 2007, ahead of industry legend George Soros and 2006's highest-paid manager James Simons, according to Alpha Magazine." ==================== "Tax breaks for billionaires Loophole for hedge fund managers costs billions in tax revenue The professional fund managers of these hedge funds and private equity firms are allowed to treat a substantial portion of their compensation as capital gains, meaning they are most likely taxed at 15% rather than the 35% rate that applies to ordinary income such as wages and salary..... epi.org =================== Buffet notes that his tax rate is lower than that of the people who clean his offices at night. McCain wants to REDUCE capital gains tax rates to 7.5% and other Republikans want to reduce that to 0% for gains on new investments.