Where Is Your Paycheck Going?
While many of the nation’s high net-worth individuals make much of their income through capital gains, those who still collect a paycheck are doling out of cash to the IRS every time they get paid. The same is true for all taxpayers no matter what income level they fall in. In fact, according to a recent report, American taxpayers will spend more on taxes in 2016 than some of the most basic monthly expenditures combined.
The Tax Foundation recently reported that the nation’s taxpayers would pay $3.3 trillion in federal taxes and an additional $1.6 trillion in state and local taxes this year. That is almost $5 trillion in total taxes paid, which represents 31 percent of the country’s income. To put that into perspective, Americans will pay more in taxes this year than they will for housing, clothing and food combined.
So, next time you wonder where your paycheck is going just look to the federal government, because they own about a third of it. The percentage is even higher for high net-worth individuals. Meantime, the Tax Foundation also reported that Tax Freedom Day fell on April 24 this year, one day earlier than last year. Tax Freedom Day represents how long the country, as a whole, has to work to pay off its tax debt for the entire year. So in a sense, up until this point in the year, the nation’s entire workforce has been working for free.
Tax Forms & Publications
Tax Forms & Publications The publications listed below are located on the IRS web site and require Adobe Acrobat to view. Visit the Adobe Web Site to install the latest version of Acrobat Reader. Publication 1 Your Rights As a Taxpayer Publication 3 Armed Forces’ Tax Guide Publication 15 Circular E, Employer’s Tax Guide Publication…
Hall Of Laughter
Hall Of Laughter In memory of Steve Gardner 1958-2010 Thanks for the accounting humor and endless hours of laughter. We love you! Three Blind Mice Audit The IRS Agent uses a math joke in his audit of the three blind mice. Accounting Puppets 2 Puppets tell Accounting and Audit Jokes. Accounting Puppets Puppets tell Accounting…
The Roth Way to Riches
The Roth Way to Riches By Roy Lewis With all the recent tax-code changes, it seems a number of taxpayers have forgotten the Roth IRA. That’s a shame, because it’s far more than an ordinary retirement savings account. Roth IRAs are tax-favored accounts to which qualified taxpayers can make non-deductible, after-tax contributions. Those contributions can…
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) Medicare legislation enacted in December 2003 provides for a prescription drug benefit that won’t exist until 2006. But also part of the new law is a provision that went into effect on January 1, 2004—the creation of the Health Savings Account (HSA). By opening an HSA, you may be allowed to…