The New York Times Is Wrong. The Rich Pay More Taxes Than You Do.
15th October 2019
The most recent IRS data, from 2016, shows that the top 10 percent of income earners pay almost 70 percent of federal income taxes. However, after the estate tax, the federal income tax is the most progressive part of the U.S. tax code.
Americans also pay less progressive payroll taxes, corporate taxes, excise taxes, and at the state level, property and sales taxes.
Looking at all federal taxes, the Congressional Budget Office shows that the top 1 percent pay an average federal tax rate of 33.3 percent. The data shows tax rates decline with income, and the poorest 20 percent of the population pays an average tax rate of just 1.7 percent.
The left-leaning Tax Policy Center shows similar results.