Comparing Income Taxes under Bill Clinton and George Bush

Recently an incorrect comparison of income taxes under Presidents Clinton and Bush has been making the rounds of the internet, showing up in forwarded e-mails and on numerous blogs and message boards. (See examples here, here, here, and here.)

This message shows that income taxes under George Bush are lower than income taxes under Bill Clinton, and it relies on TaxA tax is a mandatory payment or charge collected by local, state, and national governments from individuals or businesses to cover the costs of general government services, goods, and activities. Foundation data to make this comparison. The author used a Tax Foundation chart showing the federal individual income tax rates and brackets from 1913 to the present to calculate the income taxes paid by hypothetical married and single taxpayers at various income levels under 1999 tax law and 2008 tax law.

While the basic message of the comparison is correct (federal income taxes have indeed fallen under George Bush for groups at all points on the income spectrum), the chart created by the author of this comparison contains some mathematical errors. Furthermore, the comparisons are exaggerated by the fact that annual inflationInflation is when the general price of goods and services increases across the economy, reducing the purchasing power of a currency and the value of certain assets. The same paycheck covers less goods, services, and bills. It is sometimes referred to as a “hidden tax,” as it leaves taxpayers less well-off due to higher costs and “bracket creep,” while increasing the government’s spending power. adjustments in the tax code would have lowered tax bills in 2008 relative to 1999 under a constant nominal income amount.

The table below presents the correct amount of tax paid by each of the hypothetical taxpayers in the comparison. Note that this comparison does not take into account the Alternative Minimum Tax, and the taxpayers in these examples take the standard deductionThe standard deduction reduces a taxpayer’s taxable income by a set amount determined by the government. It was nearly doubled for all classes of filers by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) as an incentive for taxpayers not to itemize deductions when filing their federal income taxes. and do not have children.

(Click here if you’re having trouble viewing the table.)

Individual Income Tax Due in 2008, Bush Law versus Clinton Law
For taxpayers who take the standard deduction and have no children
Taxpayer	Tax That Would Have Been Owed under Clinton-Era Tax Law	Tax Owed under Current Law, with Bush Tax Cuts
Single, income of 30,000	$3,157.50	$2,756.25
Single, income of 50,000	$7,262.50	$6,606.25
Married, income of $50,000	$5,085.00	$4,012.50
Married, income of $60,000	$6,585.00	$5,512.50
Single, income of $75,000	$14,262.50	$12,856.25
Married, income of $75,000	$9,426.50	$7,762.50
Single, income of $125,000*	$29,378.50	$26,472.25
Married, income of $125,000*	$23,426.50	$19,462.50
*This chart does not take into account the Alternative Minimum Tax