I don’t think so.
Remember, these are averages skewed higher by relatively few high income taxpayers.
Federal Income Tax:
- In 2022, the average federal individual income tax rate was 14.5%.
- The average amount of federal income taxes paid was $13,890 per taxpayer in 2022.
- Tax rates are progressive, meaning higher earners pay a larger percentage of their income in taxes:
- The bottom half of taxpayers (those making under approximately $50,399 in 2022) faced an average income tax rate of about 3.7%. 💥
- The top 1% of taxpayers (those with Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) of $663,164 and above in 2022) paid the highest average income tax rate, around 26.1%.
- The top 1% earned about 22.4% of total income but paid 40.4% of all federal individual income taxes in 2022.
Total Tax Burden (Federal, State, and Local):
- The average American will pay an estimated $524,625 in taxes throughout their lifetime, which is roughly 34.7% of their estimated lifetime earnings. This includes federal, state, and local taxes.
- In 2022, the average per capita state and local tax burden was $7,109. This includes income, property, and sales taxes, among others.
- The overall tax burden (federal, state, and local) varies significantly by state, with some states having a much higher total tax burden than others. For example, in 2022, New York residents faced the highest combined state and local per capita tax burden at $12,685, while Alabama had one of the lowest at $4,722.
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
The “acceptable number” should not be 0% or a negative percent – as is currently in effect in our tax system today. Everyone should be called upon to contribute towards the cost of running government – either through taxes or revenue generating fees or both.
Because of gerrymandered definitions of income, we have similarly situated individuals (in terms of the actual income earned) paying different taxes.
Long past time to get rid of all the rules and tax a flat percentage from the first dollar of wages – as is the situation for FICA FICA-Med – Social Security and Medicare. Make that change, and no one with only wage income (or investment income) will ever need to file an income tax return – the IRS will send it to you directly – so that the IRS can concentrate on every other aspect of our economy, including the underground economy as well as the underreporting, etc.
First dollar savings, estimated by the Tax Foundation, would save a significant portion of the $546 billion per year in compliance costs alone. And, that would be increased by the savings to employers and workers from significant reductions in payroll compliance.
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please shou medians and quintiles in the future when you speak of income taxes as the bottom fifth GET money from our tax system (negative taxes) while the second fifth pays nothing.
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Do I receive good value for what I pay for should be the question in my humble opinion?
Just notified that hotel room here in San Diego will cost 2.5% more than I contracted for as a new tax on old tax has been increased.
Ever wonder why high tax states see folks voting with wheels and leaving?
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The numbers are nicely tied up to the dollar although tax rates and incomes are changing frequently. As pointed out it varies by state and by income and over time. How does one bring it down to the decimal point over a lifetime as the chart does? Even so a figure of 34.7% is too high. I call BS on the study and I think taxes are high.
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What’s an acceptable number?
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