Brief The Myth of Income Tax Freeloading
Leonard E. Burman
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This year's tax season controversy surrounds the Tax Policy Center's estimate that 47% of households do not owe income tax. The estimate has raised concerns about equity (nearly half of families free-riding on the rest of us) and civic responsibility (can democracy work when half of voters get government for free?). It also just ticked off some people who feel they're bearing more than their fair share of the tax burden.
Research Areas Economic mobility and inequality Taxes and budgets
Tags Fiscal policy Individual taxes Federal budget and economy Income and wealth distribution
Policy Centers Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center