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How Much Do We Really Pay In Taxes

posted May 7, 2014, 4:57 AM by Matt Lankford

Source : http://www.nowandfutures.com/taxes.html

ItemRateNotes
Federal personal income tax17%
(2011 est. - 18.2%)		Top 39.6% rate. Source
State & local income taxes10.1%
(2009 - 10.6%)		State taxes range from under 6% to over 12%. Local taxes run from zero to 2.75%. Source,  source,  source,  2009 source
Sales tax9.7%
(2009 - 10.3%)		Figure is the average rate. State sales taxes range up to 8% and local taxes run from zero to over 5%. Source,  source,  2008 source (broken link as of 2012),  2009 source  2011 source
Social security & Medicaid7.65%Total rate is actually 15.3% since half is paid by the employer, but we're ignoring that to be kind and to avoid being accused of being too political.
Federal corporate income tax share3%Based on corporate taxes being approximately 1/6 of personal taxes, and that they are paid by individuals in the final analysis.
Property tax2.5%
(2007 - 2.7%)		Yearly average actual costs range from under $200 in Alaska to almost $1900 in New Jersey. Source
Fuel/gasoline tax.5%
(2009 est. - .6%)		Approximately 23% of the 2005 gasoline price is for federal & state taxes. The federal excise tax is 18.4 cents per gallon. Per the CPI, about 6% of the average budget is for transportation. Estimated. 2010 estimate, $.45 per gallon average. Source
Other6%+
(2009-2013 - 8%+)		Includes estate tax, fees, licenses, inflation losses, inheritance, deficit allowance, gift, and others too numerous to mention. Estimated.

Here is what happened on January 1st 2014:

Top Income Tax bracket went from 35% to 39.6%
Top Income Payroll Tax went from 37.4% to 52.2%
Capital Gains Tax went from 15 % to 28%
Dividend Tax went from 15% to 39.6%


Total tax percentage potentially paid by the above average US citizen, 2005 - 54.4%

Total tax percentage potentially paid by the above average US citizen, 2013 est. - 59.7%


The Perfect Cup Of Coffee

posted Mar 1, 2011, 7:27 PM by Matt Lankford

I love coffee.

BUT

Until recently, I had only had a few great cups of coffee in my entire life. Starbucks? I don't think so. Then I went to Europe to visit my oldest little brother. The heavens parted and the worst cup I had there were better than the best here.

SO

I went searching to duplicate it. Having had some of the best vendors out there, I already knew I did not like them. K-Cups, the little flat pack thingies... etc. Then I found the Senseo. This makes a great cup of coffee. Not the perfect but great.

I had been wanting to get a FRENCH PRESS for years. This past christmas, my wife gave me one and I can say, it is the best gift a man can get ( other than shoes for running across the US 3 times ).

THEN

I found the perfect coffee for me. Decaf ( so I can drink more of it ) Carmel Toffee from Millstone. While not the cheapest, it is not expensive either. Just let it steep for 5 full minutes and you are ready to go. Since it uses only about 1/3 as much coffee as a drip system, it works out to be LESS EXPENSIVE than cheap coffee.

Highly recommended.

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