Just How Progressive is the U.S. Tax Code?

April 13, 2012 • The Hamilton Project • Tax Policy, Economic Security

A topic of recent discussion has been the progressivity of the United States tax code.  This issue is particularly salient because of the struggles facing many Americans in today’s economy, and the growing trends of income inequality in the United States. Earnings for many middle-class and lower-income households have stagnated and declined, while incomes for the wealthiest America’s have dramatically risen. A progressive tax system ensures the ability to pay of middle- and lower-income households, who have been hit by economic forces beyond their control.  The Hamilton Project explores changes in the United States tax rates and finds that the U.S. tax system is less progressive than it was just a few decades ago, and less progressive relative to other industrialized nations. Read the full piece here.