How much does the average US citizen pay in taxes in a lifetime?
How much tax will the average American pay in their lifetime? The average taxpayer in the U.S. will spend an estimated $524,625, around a third (34.7%) of all estimated lifetime earnings ($1,494,986) on various state and federal taxes.
In the United States, the average single worker faced a net average tax rate of 24.2% in 2023, compared with the OECD average of 24.9%. In other words, in the United States the take-home pay of an average single worker, after tax and benefits, was 75.8% of their gross wage, compared with the OECD average of 75.1%.
The U.S. currently has seven federal income tax brackets, with rates of 10%, 12%, 22%, 24%, 32%, 35% and 37%. If you're one of the lucky few to earn enough to fall into the 37% bracket, that doesn't mean that the entirety of your taxable income will be subject to a 37% tax. Instead, 37% is your top marginal tax rate.
There's a good chance, though, that you'll pay more to file your taxes. The average cost to have a tax professional prepare an individual federal tax return in 2023 was $248, an increase of more than 16% from 2021, according to a survey by the National Association of Tax Professionals.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the average U.S. annual salary in Q4 of 2023 was $59,384. This is up 5.4% from the same time period in 2022 when the average American was making $56,316 per year. Average weekly earnings reached $1,142, while the average American made $4,949 per month in Q4 of 2023.
Although most Americans believe the middle class bears the heaviest tax burden, it's actually the top 1% who pay the highest federal tax rate, at 25.9%, the Tax Foundation analysis found. But the average tax rate paid by the top 1% has declined in recent decades, according to the Tax Foundation analysis.
The lowest tax bracket is 10%. The highest tax bracket is 37%. If you're in the middle class, you're probably in the 22%, 24% or possibly 32% tax brackets.
Ivory Coast. The country with beach resorts, rainforests, and a French-colonial legacy levies a massive 60% personal income tax – the highest in the world.
For a single male earning an average wage every year and who retired in 2020 at age 65, lifetime Social Security and Medicare benefits would equal about $640,000, while total taxes paid would be just shy of $470,000.
UK taxes are generally higher than in the US. Depending on where you live and how much you earn, UK personal income taxes can reach rates as high as 45% — significantly higher than the top US income tax rate of 37%. UK capital gains tax rates, meanwhile, top out at 28% while US capital gains tax rates max out at 20%.
Why do I pay so much in taxes and get nothing back?
If your personal or financial circ*mstances have changed, you may end up owing taxes to the IRS when you usually get a refund. Common reasons include underpaying quarterly taxes if you're self-employed or not updating your withholding as a W-2 employee.
If you're confident about your ability to understand the tax code, then doing your own is a smart way to save. If not, it's probably time to pony up the cash and hire an expert. Ultimately, you have to weigh the value of your time and money against your peace of mind.
What is a Good Salary in the US? A good salary in the US depends on various factors, but generally, a comfortable standard of living is attainable with an annual income of around $70,000 to $100,000 for a single individual.
- Anesthesiologist. #1 in Best-Paying Jobs (tie) ...
- Obstetrician and Gynecologist. #1 in Best-Paying Jobs (tie) ...
- Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. #1 in Best-Paying Jobs (tie) ...
- Psychiatrist. #4 in Best-Paying Jobs. ...
- Nurse Anesthetist. #5 in Best-Paying Jobs. ...
- Pediatrician. #6 in Best-Paying Jobs. ...
- Orthodontist. ...
- IT Manager.
Key Takeaways
The average American net worth is $1,063,700, as of 2022. Net worth averages increase with age from $183,500 for those 35 and under to $1,794,600 for those 65 to 74. Net worth, however, tends to drop for those 75 and older.
- New York: 12.47%
- Hawaii: 2.31%
- Maine: 11.14%
- Vermont: 10.28%
- Connecticut: 9.83%
- New Jersey: 9.76%
- Maryland: 9.44%
- Minnesota: 9.41%
The highest-earning Americans pay the most in combined federal, state and local taxes, the Tax Foundation noted. As a group, the top quintile — those earning $130,001 or more annually — paid $3.23 trillion in taxes, compared with $142 billion for the bottom quintile, or those earning less than $25,000.
Eight U.S. states currently have no state income tax whatsoever: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming. New Hampshire, the ninth state on our list, only taxes interest and dividend income.
For 2022, the average wage for working Americans was $61,136. The average wages of those in the top 1 percent of wage earners were $785,968 that year. In the rarefied top 0.1 percent, the average earnings were more than $2.8 million in 2022.
The report used income tiers based on Pew Research's household income percentile ranges for economic classes: Lower-middle class: $30,001-$58,020. Middle class: $58,021-$94,000. Upper-middle class: $94,001-$153,000.
What is considered low class income?
Lower class: This is defined as the bottom 20% of earners. Those in the lower class have an income at or below $28,007. Lower middle class: This is defined as individuals in the 20th to 40th percentile of household income. Earnings among this group are between $28,008 and $55,000.
Let's Find Out the Tax Rate in Europe vs US
Even though personal income tax rates differ from one country to another, they can also vary depending on the tax brackets. In general, taxes in Europe vs US tend to be higher.
- Bulgaria. ...
- Turkmenistan. ...
- Guatemala. Personal Income Tax Rate: 7% ...
- Brunei. Personal Income Tax Rate: 0% ...
- Saudi Arabia. Personal Income Tax Rate: 0% ...
- Oman. Personal Income Tax Rate: 0% ...
- Kuwait. Personal Income Tax Rate: 0% ...
- Qatar. Personal Income Tax Rate: 0%
The United States ranked 31st¹ out of 38 OECD countries in terms of the tax-to-GDP ratio in 2022. In 2022, the United States had a tax-to-GDP ratio of 27.7% compared with the OECD average of 34.0%.
But even if you never worked and therefore don't have an earnings record, you're not necessarily out of luck. If you're married (or were married) to someone who's entitled to Social Security, you can collect spousal benefits equal to 50% of your husband or wife's benefits at full retirement age.
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