2009 Federal Revenue and Spending Book of Charts

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Current Tax Receipts Below Historical Average

Since World War II, tax receipts have averaged around 18 percent of the economy, or gross domestic product (GDP). Tax receipts were 17.7 percent of GDP in 2008, slightly below the 60-year average, and are projected to fall to 15.4 percent in 2009 due mostly to the struggling economy.

Total Federal Receipts as a Percentage of GDP

Total Federal Receipts as a Percentage of GDP
 
 
Source: White House Office of Management and Budget.

Key Research:
Taxes and Tax Rates

The Clinton Administration Oversaw the Highest Increase in Taxes per Household



Corporate Income Tax Receipts Stay Constant Even as Tax Rates Decline



Corporate Income Tax Cuts Boost Federal Revenues



Current Tax Receipts Below Historical Average



Federal Government Revenues Have More Than Tripled Since 1965



Income Tax Receipts Stay Constant Even as Tax Rates Decline



Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey Have the Highest Percentage of Taxpayers Paying the Alternative Minimum Tax



A Breakdown of Federal Revenue Sources



Taxes per Household Have Risen Dramatically



The Top 10 Percent of Income Earners Paid 71 Percent of Federal Income Tax



Total Tax Burden Is Rising to Highest Level in History