Ch.
9.1
FEDERAL INCOME
TAX:
PAYING THE PRICE
Whether or not we agree with how
our tax dollar is spent, most of us
would not want to do without at
least some of the services that our
federal, state, and local
governments provide
Federal Income Tax
Taxes are one of the largest items in the family
budget. The average taxpayer works every
year from January 1 to around early May just
to cover tax obligations. However, most of the
tax that we pay never goes through our hands;
our employer withholds some of our pay for
taxes and sends that withheld money directly
to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
9.1 Finding Your Income Tax
The price of government
Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.
In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes
Benjamin Franklin
How did this happen?
For the first 100 years the United States covered its
expenses by imposing taxes on certain goods
manufactured here and on products brought in from
other countries.
Then our country changed to a mainly rural and
agricultural society to a mainly industrial society.
As a result, the government’s need for income
increased
The 16th amendment, adopted in 1913, Congress
passed tax laws. We now have taxes on income as
well as on sales and property.
United States Individual Income
Tax
The Individual income tax is imposed on an
individual’s earnings from wages and salary.
Characteristics of Income Tax
System
Ability to pay- the federal income tax rules are
designed to match one’s ability to pay. The
more money one makes the higher share of
taxes one pays.
Voluntary compliance- The IRS trusts that each
citizen will file taxes and pay their taxes.
However, if an individual fails to do so, they
may face a fine or jail time (tax evasion)
Characteristics of Income Tax
System
Pay as you go – the taxes are taken from you
wages. This prevents citizens from owing any
money on April 15th.
Ask Yourself
1. What is an income tax?
2. How long does he average person have to
work in a year to earn the amount of money
that he or she pays to the government in
taxes?
3. What are two characteristics of our income
tax system?
Tax Tables
Taxable income is the amount of money that you actually make
during the year minus certain adjustments, deductions, and
exemptions that the government allows.
Single
Rate
$0 – $8,025
10%
$8,026 - $32,550
15%
$32,551 - $78,850
25%
$78,851 - $164,550
28%
$164,551 - $357,700
33%
$357,701 +
35%
Sharpen Your Skills
Example 1: Elizabeth’s taxable income for the
past year was $2,275. How much tax does
Elizabeth, who is single, owe?
Solution: $2,275 is listed twice. Go with the
second listing.
Tax Rate Schedules
Formulas for Tax Rate Schedule X (for single
taxpayers):
1.
2.
3.
if
if
if
Example 2
Marilyn’s taxable income is $102,000. How
much does Marilyn, who is single, pay in
taxes?
Example 3
Finding taxable income.
Taxable Income = total income – (deductions and exemptions)
Ex. Luis’s monthly income for this year was $675. He had a
deduction of $3600 and an exemption of $2300. He has one
withholding allowance, and he is single.
1. What was Luis’s total income for the year?
2. What was his taxable income?
3. How much income tax does he owe?
4. How much was withheld from his paychecks?
5. Does he have a refund? If so, how much is it?