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14CHAPTER
Personal Income Taxation in the United
StatesPUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American
EconomyRandall Holcombe
14-2
PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Brief History of U.S. Brief History of U.S. Income Tax SystemIncome Tax System
First income tax - 1861-1871First income tax - 1861-1871 Financed Civil WarFinanced Civil War Relatively low tax rateRelatively low tax rate
Federal Income Tax - 1913Federal Income Tax - 1913
14-3
PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
WithholdingWithholding
Employer withholding established Employer withholding established during WWIIduring WWII
Portion of employee’s pay sent Portion of employee’s pay sent directly to federal governmentdirectly to federal government
Government able to collect more in Government able to collect more in income taxesincome taxes
14-4
PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Tax Reform in Tax Reform in 1964, 1986, and 20021964, 1986, and 2002
1964 1964 Tax cut to stimulate aggregate demandTax cut to stimulate aggregate demand Keynesian principlesKeynesian principles
1986 1986 Tax Reform ActTax Reform Act Concerned excess burden of taxationConcerned excess burden of taxation
2002 2002 No clear motivationNo clear motivation
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Calculating Taxable Calculating Taxable IncomeIncome
Computation of IncomeComputation of Income Taxable income includes: Taxable income includes:
WagesWages SalariesSalaries TipsTips InterestInterest DividendsDividends
Capital gains taxed at lower rateCapital gains taxed at lower rate
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
ExemptionsExemptions
Personal exemptionPersonal exemption Individual retirement accountsIndividual retirement accounts AlimonyAlimony Adjusted gross income = total Adjusted gross income = total
income minus exemptionsincome minus exemptions
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
DeductionsDeductions
Standard deductionStandard deduction – fixed amount – fixed amount Itemized deductionItemized deduction – addition of – addition of
allowable deductionsallowable deductions Medical and dental expensesMedical and dental expenses State, local, and property taxesState, local, and property taxes Home mortgage interestHome mortgage interest Charitable contributionsCharitable contributions
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Tax ComputationTax Computation
Taxable Income = Total income Taxable Income = Total income minus exemptions and deductionsminus exemptions and deductions
Compute tax due on taxable incomeCompute tax due on taxable income
14-9
PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Marginal Rates in 2003 Marginal Rates in 2003 for a Single Individualfor a Single Individual
Taxable I ncome Marginal Tax RateUp to $7,000 10%$7,001 to $28,400 15%$28,401 to $68,800 25%$68,801 to $143,500 33%$143,501 to $311,950 33%Above $311,950 35%
Table 14.3 Marginal Tax Rates in 2003 for a Single I ndividual
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Tax CreditsTax Credits
Can subtract certain items from tax Can subtract certain items from tax liabilityliability
Credits more beneficial than Credits more beneficial than exemptions/deductionsexemptions/deductions
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Broadening the Tax BaseBroadening the Tax Base
Exemptions, deductions, and credits Exemptions, deductions, and credits narrow tax basenarrow tax base
Broader base Broader base Allows lower marginal ratesAllows lower marginal rates Reduces excess burdenReduces excess burden
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Comparison of Broadly Comparison of Broadly Based and Narrowly Based and Narrowly
Based TaxesBased Taxes
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Alternative Minimum TaxAlternative Minimum Tax
Created in 1969Created in 1969 Targets upper-income taxpayers Targets upper-income taxpayers
using tax preferences to avoid using tax preferences to avoid federal income taxfederal income tax
Must calculate taxes without most Must calculate taxes without most tax preferences and pay AMT if tax preferences and pay AMT if higher than calculating tax burdens higher than calculating tax burdens by regular methodby regular method
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Tax ExpendituresTax Expenditures
Reductions in taxationReductions in taxation Designed to further some goal of Designed to further some goal of
social policysocial policy Create loopholes making tax Create loopholes making tax
structure less efficientstructure less efficient
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Inflation, Indexation, and Inflation, Indexation, and Bracket CreepBracket Creep
Indexation Indexation Tax rates adjusted for inflationTax rates adjusted for inflation
Bracket creep Bracket creep When nominal tax structure remains the When nominal tax structure remains the
same but taxpayers pay more in real same but taxpayers pay more in real taxes because of inflationtaxes because of inflation
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Individual Retirement Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA)Accounts (IRA)
Money contributed to IRA does not Money contributed to IRA does not count as taxable incomecount as taxable income
Tax paid on withdrawals from IRATax paid on withdrawals from IRA Eliminates double tax on savingEliminates double tax on saving Can only contribute limited amountCan only contribute limited amount
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Roth IRARoth IRA
Allows no deduction for depositsAllows no deduction for deposits Principle and earnings can be Principle and earnings can be
withdrawn tax-freewithdrawn tax-free
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PUBLIC SECTOR ECONOMICS: The Role of Government in the American EconomyRandall Holcombe
Other Tax-Deferred Other Tax-Deferred Savings MethodsSavings Methods
Keogh plansKeogh plans 401(k)401(k) 403(b)403(b) Company pension plansCompany pension plans