advanced american government. the power to tax fiscal year: october 1 – september 30 ex.—fy...
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CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITATIONS Tax laws must follow the Constitution U.S.A. can’t tax church offering (violates Ist Amendment) Four Expressed Limits on Direct Taxes 1) Taxes must be levied for public purposes 2) No taxes on items imported from any state 3) direct taxes must be equally distributed amongst the statesTRANSCRIPT
CHAPTER 16 FINANCING GOVERNMENTCH. 16-1 TAXES
Advanced American Government
THE POWER TO TAX
Fiscal Year: October 1 – September 30
Ex.—FY 2013 – Oct. 1, 2012-Sept. 30, 2013
FY 2008—Expenses $2.9 Trillion, Income $2.6 Trillion
Article I, Section 8, Clause 1 “…To lay and collect taxes, duties,
imposts, and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States…”
CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITATIONS Tax laws must follow the Constitution U.S.A. can’t tax church offering (violates Ist
Amendment) Four Expressed Limits on Direct Taxes 1) Taxes must be levied for public purposes 2) No taxes on items imported from any
state 3) direct taxes must be equally distributed
amongst the states
Direct taxes must be distributed amongst the states according to population
4) All indirect taxes must be levied at the same rate throughout the country
Federal Government cannot tax States or Local governments that are exercising government functions.
CURRENT FEDERAL TAXES
Ex.—public education, furnishing healthcare, or building streets and highways
The Income Tax Created by XVIth Amendment (1913) Flexible tax – rates can be adjusted PROGRESSIVE TAX—the higher one’s
income, the higher the tax Levied on individuals and corporations
The Individual Income Tax 2007--$1 Trillion collected Normally due April 15th
Tax return 2006—6 tax brackets (10% - 35%)
The Corporation Income Tax Most complicated
Churches and charitable organizations are exempt
Social Insurance Tax 1) Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability
Insurance (OASDI) program (1935) 2) Medicare—health care for the elderly
(added in 1965) 3) Unemployment compensation program
(1935)
OASDI and Medicare are supported by taxes imposed on businesses and individuals
Businesses and individuals pay 6.2% each of the person’s income
REGRESSIVE TAX—taxes levied at a flat (set) rate no matter what the income level.
Excise Taxes Tax on the manufacture, sale, or consumption
of goods and/or performance of services
Ex.—gasoline, oil, tires, liquor, telephone, etc.
Estate and Gift Taxes Estate Taxes—tax on assets of
person who dies Gift Tax—imposed on the making of a
gift by a living person
Customs Duties Taxes laid on goods brought into the
USA Over 30,000 items included Exempt—Bibles, coffee, bananas,
and up to $800 of a tourist’s purchases abroad
TAXING FOR NONREVENUE PURPOSES Taxes can be used to discourage
activities that the government thinks is harmful.
Ex.—licenses for drugs, certain firearms, gasoline
THE END