Hidden tax

A hidden tax is a tax that is not visible to the taxpayer. These taxes can raise prices of goods and lower salaries for workers. Hidden taxes, although hidden, can decrease the purchasing power of individuals significantly.

Many kinds of tax behave like hidden taxes:[1]

Corporate income tax
Because of this tax, shareholders and employees get less dividends and salary.
Tariffs or import taxes
It lowers competition by raising the price of imports and products produced outside.
Sin taxes
Taxes on alcohol and cigarettes are highly regressive.
Travel taxes
Utilities taxes
According to a 1998 study, taxes take up 48% of the price of gasoline.[1][2]
Inflation tax
It is a regressive hidden tax.[3]
Financial repression
A range of measures which governments can employ to reduce their debt, which are often accompanied by inflation.
Profits from government-owned corporations
Especially when a government-owned corporation enjoys a legally protected monopoly and records excessive profits, such profits may be criticized as hidden taxation. Governments in some jurisdictions directly own utilities (making such profits related to utility taxes) and some monopolize the alcohol trade (making such profits related to sin taxes).

Contents

United States

A study by the Institute for Policy Innovation suggested that hidden taxes account $2,462 per capita.[1]

Hidden tax

Quintiles of Household Cash Money Income according to the Tax Foundation, Calendar Year 2004[4]

Bottom 20 Percent

Second 20 Percent

Third 20 Percent

Fourth 20 Percent

Top 20
Percent

Total Federal Taxes

38.9%

55.7%

61.5%

64.4%

70.2%

Income

4.0%

12.0%

17.6%

22.6%

35.7%

Payroll

21.2%

30.6%

32.0%

30.4%

22.5%

Corporate Income

6.3%

8.4%

8.2%

8.2%

8.1%

Gasoline

1.6%

1.2%

1.0%

0.8%

0.6%

Alcoholic Beverages

0.8%

0.4%

0.4%

0.3%

0.2%

Tobacco

1.2%

0.6%

0.3%

0.2%

0.1%

Diesel Fuel

0.2%

0.3%

0.3%

0.3%

0.3%

Air Transport

0.5%

0.4%

0.4%

0.4%

0.4%

Other Excise

1.0%

0.6%

0.4%

0.4%

0.2%

Customs, Duties, etc.

2.2%

1.2%

0.9%

0.8%

0.5%

Estate & Gift

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

0.0%

1.7%

.

References

  1. ^ a b c Hidden Taxes: How Much do You Really Pay?
  2. ^ Ed Brown, “Where Your Gas Money Goes,” Fortune, April 27, 1998.
  3. ^ The Inflation Tax
  4. ^ Gerald Prante and Andrew Chamberlain, "Who Pays Taxes and Who Receives Government Spending? An Analysis of Federal, State and Local Tax and Spending Distributions, 1991-2004," Tax Foundation Working Paper, No. 1, March 2007, available at [1]

External links