Taxes

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The payment of money to the government based on income or purchases, including federal and state taxes, and tax deductions and credits.

Tax basics: Understanding the concept of taxes, how taxes are collected, types of taxes, and tax terminology.
Forms and documents: Types of forms and documents required for filing taxes, and how to obtain and fill them out correctly.
Tax credits and deductions: Understanding different credits and deductions available to taxpayers, such as child care, education, and mortgage interest.
Tax planning: How to plan for taxes throughout the year and avoid tax penalties.
Filing status: Determining the proper filing status for an individual or household, such as single, married, or head of household.
Tax shelters: Understanding the benefits and drawbacks of various types of tax shelters, and how to use them to minimize tax liability.
Tax audits: Knowing what triggers a tax audit, what to expect during an audit, and how to avoid common mistakes that could lead to an audit.
Estate and gift taxes: Understanding the tax implications of transferring assets through inheritance or gifting.
Tax consequences of life events: Understanding how certain life events, such as marriage, divorce, or retirement, affect tax liability.
State and local taxes: Understanding how state and local taxes differ from federal taxes, and how to properly file state and local tax returns.
Tax software: How to use tax software to simplify the tax filing process and ensure accuracy.
Tax fraud and identity theft: Understanding how to protect oneself from tax fraud and identity theft, and how to respond if victimized.
Tax reform: Staying up to date on changes in tax laws and how they affect individual taxpayers and households.
Tax advocacy: Understanding the role of tax advocacy groups and how to get involved in lobbying for tax reform or relief.
Income Tax: It is a tax levied on an individual's income or salary earned during a particular financial year.
Sales Tax: It is levied on the purchase of specific goods and services that are typically consumer-oriented.
Property Tax: It is levied on the value of the property of an individual, such as land, buildings, and homes.
Payroll Tax: It is levied on the wage-earning individuals and is primarily used to fund social security, healthcare, and other benefits.
Excise Tax: It is levied on the manufacture, sale, or use of specific goods and services, such as alcohol, tobacco, gasoline, and other harmful products.
Capital Gains Tax: It is a tax levied on the profit earned by an individual from the sale of capital assets, such as stocks, bonds, and real estate.
Estate Tax: It is a tax levied on the property and assets of an individual after his or her death.
Gift Tax: It is levied on the transfer of assets, such as property, money, or other valuables, between two individuals.
Value Added Tax (VAT): It is a tax on the value added at each stage of production or distribution of goods and services.
Carbon Tax: It is levied on the production and consumption of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and natural gas, to reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change.
Road Tax: It is a tax levied on the use of vehicles, such as cars, trucks, and buses, to fund road maintenance and construction.
Luxury Tax: It is a tax levied on the price of luxury goods and services, such as high-end cars, jewelry, and vacations.
Import and Export Duties: It is a tax levied on the import and export of goods and services, such as customs duties, tariffs, and quotas.
Sin Tax: It is a tax levied on products that are considered harmful to health, such as tobacco and alcohol.
Franchise Tax: It is a tax levied on organizations that have been granted the right to conduct business in a particular state.
Gift Aid: It is a tax relief scheme for charity donations, where the charity can claim back the basic rate of tax paid by the donor.
Inheritance Tax: It is a tax levied on the assets and properties inherited by the beneficiaries of a deceased person.
Toll Tax: It is a fee charged for the use of bridges, tunnels, and highways.
Education Tax: It is a tax levied to support the education system, such as primary, secondary, and higher education.
Common Area Maintenance (CAM) Tax: It is a tax levied on commercial properties to maintain shared areas and provide services to tenants.
Quote: "The United States of America has separate federal, state, and local governments with taxes imposed at each of these levels."
Quote: "Taxes are levied on income, payroll, property, sales, capital gains, dividends, imports, estates and gifts, as well as various fees."
Quote: "In 2020, taxes collected by federal, state, and local governments amounted to 25.5% of GDP, below the OECD average of 33.5% of GDP."
Quote: "U.S. tax and transfer policies are progressive and therefore reduce effective income inequality, as rates of tax generally increase as taxable income increases."
Quote: "The lowest earning workers, especially those with dependents, pay no income taxes and may actually receive a small subsidy from the federal government."
Quote: "Taxes fall much more heavily on labor income than on capital income."
Quote: "Citizens and residents are taxed on worldwide income and allowed a credit for foreign taxes."
Quote: "Individuals are permitted to reduce taxable income by personal allowances and certain non-business expenses, including home mortgage interest, state and local taxes, charitable contributions, and medical and certain other expenses incurred above certain percentages of income."
Quote: "Federal marginal tax rates vary from 10% to 37% of taxable income."
Quote: "The 2017 tax law imposed a $10,000 limit on the state and local tax ("SALT") deduction, which raised the effective tax rate on medium and high earners in high tax states."
Quote: "The United States is one of two countries in the world that taxes its non-resident citizens on worldwide income, in the same manner and rates as residents."
Quote: "The foreign earned income exclusion eliminates U.S. taxes on the first $120,000 of annual foreign source earned income of U.S. citizens and certain U.S. residents living and working abroad."
Quote: "Payroll taxes are imposed by the federal and all state governments. These include Social Security and Medicare taxes imposed on both employers and employees."
Quote: "There is an additional Medicare tax of 0.9% on wages above $200,000."
Quote: "Property taxes are imposed by most local governments and many special purpose authorities based on the fair market value of property."
Quote: "Sales taxes are imposed by most states and some localities on the price at retail sale of many goods and some services."
Quote: "The United States imposes tariffs or customs duties on the import of many types of goods from many jurisdictions."
Quote: "Estate and gift taxes are imposed by the federal and some state governments on the transfer of property inheritance, by will, or by lifetime donation."
Quote: "Similar to federal income taxes, federal estate and gift taxes are imposed on worldwide property of citizens and residents and allow a credit for foreign taxes."
Quote: "Payroll taxes have dramatically increased as a share of federal revenue since the 1950s, while corporate income taxes have fallen as a share of revenue."