Putting a Face on America’s Tax Returns

What is often missing from the federal tax debate is a real sense of who America’s taxpayers are and how different policies impact their lives. Our Putting a Face on America’s Tax Returns series aims to address that.

How do today’s taxpayers compare to yesterday’s and what shifts should we be aware of? Who really bears the burden of federal taxes? Who benefits from credits and deductions and by how much? How progressive is our current tax system and what role do taxes play in the debate over income inequality?

The posts below are designed to provide taxpayers and legislators with the facts and data necessary to better understand federal tax policy and have an open and productive debate.

Countdown to Tax Reform

October 7, 2005

Number of Americans Outside the Income Tax System Continues to Grow

June 9, 2005

The Case for a Single-Rate Tax: Why Our Progressive Tax Code is Inconsistent with the Changing Face of American Taxpayers

April 29, 2005

Married Couples Pay Majority of Federal Income Taxes, Received Majority of Bush Tax Cuts

October 25, 2004

Bush Tax Cuts Erased Income Tax Burden for 7.8 Million Families

August 17, 2004

Wealthy Americans and Business Activity

August 1, 2004

Expanding the Child Tax Credit, Part II: A Profile of the 4.6 Million Taxpayers Who Would Benefit from Raising the Phase-Out Threshold to $250,000

May 20, 2004

Expanding the Child Credit Part I: A Profile of the Families Benefiting from the $1,000 Per-Child Credit

May 20, 2004

A Profile of the 70 Million Taxpayers Benefiting from the Wider 10-Percent Tax Bracket

May 12, 2004

A Profile of Couples Benefiting from Marriage Penalty Relief

April 27, 2004

The Growing Class of Americans Who Pay No Federal Income Taxes

April 14, 2004

40 Million Filers Pay No Income Taxes, Many Get Generous Refunds

June 5, 2003

Own a Business? You May be Rich: Two-Thirds of Taxpayers Hit by Highest Tax Rate Have Business Income

May 5, 2003

Married Couples File Less Than Half of All Tax Returns, But Pay 74 Percent Of All Income Taxes

March 25, 2003

The Effect on a Typical Family of Four of Accelerating Scheduled Tax Cuts and Making Temporary Tax Relief Permanent

February 1, 2003

Taxable Dividends Vary Dramatically by State

January 16, 2003

How the Bush Tax Cuts Affect Families with Children at Different Income Levels

January 7, 2003

Putting a Face on Dividend Earning Taxpayers

January 6, 2003

The Effect of Temporary Tax Relief on a Typical American Family of Four

May 1, 2002

Are High Surtax Rates Worthwhile?

March 1, 1957