Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

47% of Americans Pay No Federal Income Tax

Tax day is just Christmas for many

By the Associated Press

Posted Apr 8, 2010 9:27 AM CDT

(AP) – Tax Day is a dreaded deadline for millions, but for nearly half of US households it's simply somebody else's problem. About 47% will pay no federal income taxes at all for 2009. Either their incomes were too low, or they qualified for enough credits, deductions, and exemptions to eliminate their liability. That's according to projections by the Tax Policy Center, a Washington research organization.

Most people still are required to file returns by the April 15 deadline, but for many it's advisable anyway, since doing so just means collecting a big refund. In recent years, credits for low- and middle-income families have grown so much that a family of four can make as much as $50,000 and not owe a cent in federal taxes. "We have 50% of people who are getting something for nothing," said one tax policy analyst. Note that most people who escape federal income taxes still pay Social Security, Medicare, or state taxes.

This AP graphic shows the percentage of households paying no federal income tax, 2004 to 2010.
This AP graphic shows the percentage of households paying no federal income tax, 2004 to 2010.
For many Americans, filling out your taxes is just a way of getting a big refund.
For many Americans, filling out your taxes is just a way of getting a big refund.   (Shutterstock)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
My TakeCLICK BELOW TO VOTE
3%
11%
40%
11%
6%
29%
To report an error on this story, notify our editors.
A snapshot of the day's best news stories.
 
COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 221 comments
William Campbell
May 6, 2010 12:57 PM CDT
Looks like Faith Evans is trying to avoid helping the other 50% by not paying her IRS Tax Debt and Back Taxes of $360,000!!!

http://www.taxresolutioninstit.../
whatup
Apr 9, 2010 5:05 PM CDT
This is all you need to know from this article:
"It is a system in which the top 10 percent of earners _ households making an average of $366,400 in 2006 _ paid about 73 percent of the income taxes collected by the federal government. The bottom 40 percent, on average, make a profit from the federal income tax, meaning they get more money in tax credits than they would otherwise owe in taxes. For those people, the government sends them a payment. "We have 50 percent of people who are getting something for nothing," said Curtis Dubay, senior tax policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation."
I'm not even going to read any of these comments because I don't care to hear a bunch of moronic liberals try to argue against this FACT.
Nora_Kit
Apr 9, 2010 11:53 AM CDT
Federal Income tax for the working poor is nothing compared to FICA, but did you know that probably 70% of the working poors income goes to taxes. If you consider everything you buy from a can of soup to a part for your car every component of that product some company has paid workmans comp, FICA, corporate tax,income tax, excise tax, road tax, permits, fines, and penalties, use tax, sales tax, tax on equipment even used equipment now then multiply that by each contributing company. For instance a can of peas first there is the company that sells the farmer the seeds, then the farmer, then the shippers to the processisng plant, then the processing plant, then the can makers and metal strip makers for the can and then the label maker and then again the shipper to the distributor and then the distributor. Therefore if a person is spending 90% of their income just for food, a vehicle, and a roof over their head which is likely that means that 70% of their income goes out in taxes compared to a highly paid person who pays for the same items at a rate of maybe 5% of their income. No the working poor pay the bills, always have and always will, but the working poor under a top heavy society are like a stacked deck of cards. Its only a matter of time.

Copyright 2012 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.

More Newser Stories

Identity Theft Probe Halted $1.4B in False IRS Refunds

The Danger of Ron Paul

For Most, Cain's '9-9-9' Plan a Tax Hike

Obama Plan Preview: $3T Savings, $1.5T Tax Boost

If We Took Buffett's Advice, How Much Would It Help?


NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne