Taxes, Tax Rate | featured news

As the income gap between rich and poor widens, a majority of Americans say the growing divide is bad for the country and believe that wealthy people are not paying enough in taxes, according to a new survey. The poll released Monday by the Pew Research Center points to a particular challenge for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, whose party's policies are viewed by a wide majority as favoring the rich over the middle class and poor.

When it comes to their federal taxes in the last two years, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has paid a lower federal tax rate than his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan. Ryan, R-Wis., paid an effective federal tax rate of 15.9 percent in 2010 and 20 percent in 2011, according to tax returns released by the Romney campaign Friday evening.

There are a number of ways that you can calculate tax rates: average, marginal, including only direct taxes, adding indirect taxes and so on. But the most complete method is to look at taxes paid and then net off against that benefits received.

Romney, by receiving much of his income in capital gains and dividends and giving millions of dollars to charity, is certainly able to keep his effective tax rate relatively low, especially compared to a wealthy person who earns much of his or her income in salary. But, even so, Romney still pays an effective tax rate that is higher than the tax rate paid by most Americans.

The vast majority of tax breaks in the U.S. tax code would be difficult to eliminate because they promote important social goals or are “hugely popular” with voters, according to a new congressional analysis that casts doubt on Republican promises to substantially lower tax rates without increasing budget deficits.

Paying taxes is bad enough. Finding out you pay a larger percentage of your income than presidential candidate Mitt Romney or billionaire Warren Buffet makes it even worse. But that's the case for millions of American, who pay higher rates because most or all of their income comes from a salary rather than dividends. The capital gains tax rate on investments currently tops out at 15 percent, while the highest rate for earned income is more than twice that at 35 percent.