Often in visualizations of taxes, including mine, the focus is on the highest rate on the highest incomes. The Tax Policy Center calculated the combined federal tax rate on a median income family. To compare I have include the combined tax rate for family with twice the median income.
The rate is the margainal combined Federal Income and Social Security and Medicare (FICA) Employee and Employer Tax Rates. I think of this rate as for a self-employed earner since they have to pay both employer and employee taxes themselves.
Keep in mind the Tax Policy Center calculate these rates for:
- 4 person family inculding a married couple with one earner
- Itemized deductions are assumed to equal 23 percent of income through 1986 and 18 percent of income thereafter
Data: Historical Combined Income and Employee Tax Rates for a Family of Four, also including Employer Tax Rates
Article by Visualizing Economics
