Sanders made $205,271 in 2014 and only paid a tax rate of 13.5%. The average US worker pays 31.5%...

[Cali_Democrat]

and makes far less than $205,271.

Funny how that works.

------

Sanders return shows federal tax rate of 13.5 percent in 2014

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders and his wife paid $27,653 in federal income taxes in 2014, an effective federal tax rate of 13.5 percent, according to their tax return released on Friday by his campaign.

Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, and his wife, Jane, had income of $205,271, according to the tax return. They made charitable contributions totaling $8,350.

On Thursday night, in a debate in the New York City borough of Brooklyn, Sanders promised to release his tax returns after his rival for the Democratic nomination, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, raised the issue.

"You'll get them, yes," Sanders said. "They are very boring tax returns. No big money from speeches, no major investments. Unfortunately - unfortunately - I remain one of the poorer members of the United States Senate."

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-sanders-taxes-idUSKCN0XC2UF

----------------

Average US worker pays 31.5 percent tax rate

http://thehill.com/policy/finance/238735-average-us-worker-pays-315-pct-tax-rate-report

[morningfog]

1. He's working to change that. Join us bitter one.

[berniepdx420]

2. Yes join us bitter one...

[Admiral Loinpresser]

3. He is a small fry class traitor. n/t

[angstlessk]

4. Yes he is...I love "bitter one"

He would even raise taxes on his own self!

[JDPriestly]

5. His big deduction was for the interest on his mortgage loan as I read it.

Also, he is in a bracket in which he pays less on his payroll taxes -- a lower percentage.

You are making an excellent argument for raising the cap on the payroll of Social Security taxes.

[phleshdef]

41. Probably real estate taxes too.

Those 2 deductions do wonders for me every year.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

98. Yep. He's in kind of a sweet spot.

No payroll tax on almost half his earnings and enough disposable income to carry a larger property tax, mortgage and charity burden.

The right wing clowns would be embarrassed at their own silly arguments if they had any concept.

[JDPriestly]

103. He does not pay payroll taxes because he is over 70.

The right wing supports this tax system. But it is fair that a person who is supposed to be retired since he is over 70 does not pay payroll taxes.

He is very, very careful with money. He probably owes a lot on his house or houses.

Remember that he returns to Vermont nearly every weekend to be with his constituents. He probably eats out during the week, too, and that costs a lot of money.

Our members of Congress are well paid, but they incur a lot of expenses due to their work.

[NurseJackie]

6. Interesting.

I pay more than Bernie.

[CorkySt.Clair]

11. Me too

Funny how that works.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

15. no - it is not funny - this is the system that hillary supports

come help us change the system

[jmg257]

7. NOW you're getting it! Come on in, the water's fine! nt

[NurseJackie]

13. He's just like any other wealthy man ...

... working the system for all it's worth. Must be nice.

[riderinthestorm]

25. Just like Hillary works Citizen United cuz she can?

Look, you are nuts to not follow the laws as written for now while still advocating for change.

[TheBlackAdder]

26. Another dumb post, to dumb to ignore. Rich is short-lived in one's life, wealth passes generations

[AgingAmerican]

27. Except he isn't wealthy

I have more assets than he does and I'm barely middle class.

[jmg257]

29. Well - not really, $220K combined income, a Mayor/Congressman/Senator since '81, and

only worth $500K now???

HE really isn't playing the system so well.

[NurseJackie]

58. Ha! :-D

[noamnety]

33. Do you think the tax rate should be higher for rich people? n/t

[NancyDL]

82. Yes, I do think the tax rate should be higher for rich people...

...and I think your taxpayers should get a LOT more bang for their bucks. I live in Canada where taxes are roughly the same. What do we get for that? Universal health care, good schools, good law enforcement, pretty good maintenance of roads and public buildings, reasonable bankruptcy laws, lower university tuition, etc.

We had a conservative government that tried to take all that away. We got rid of them. I hope you do the same.

[beam me up scottie]

8. ...

[morningfog]

10. You know their hearts sank when they didn't find the hidden millions.

They were all so sure.

[beam me up scottie]

14. They'll just continue lying about his alleged offshore accounts and painting him as filthy rich.

It's actually kind of sad that they're unable to recognize an honest politician.

Bernie's one of the poorest senators in Washington and who do they support? The person who made millions from corporations.

[QC]

65. And then there's the Secret Israel Bribe theory from

the Clinton Cave. Remember that one?

[beam me up scottie]

73. They've hinted at it here, they claim some of his foreign donations come from Israel.

As well as Russia, Cuba, China and elsewhere, it's just being funneled through citizens.

[QC]

94. How long before we start hearing about those Elders of Zion? n/t

[beam me up scottie]

97. Well there was an op citing a despicable anti-Semitic article from tomato bubble that was rec'd.

There have been many links to anti-Semitic articles at right wing websites in fact. One person even linked to Stormfront in an attempt to associate a Jewish candidate with neo-Nazis. Still another called Bernie Israel's #1 shill, and an op that used and associated Bernie with the Yiddish n-word was also posted.

[QC]

100. The person who linked Stormfront said that she's Jewish

when she was called on it.

(Of course, she also claimed to be an economist when she was called on her decidedly right wing economic pronouncements. On the Internet, I am Anastasia, Last of the Romanovs.)

[pangaia]

53. GOOD ONE !!!

[Csainvestor]

9. Thats only federal income tax at 13 whats his total tax rate?

Total tax rate will be much higher, do we really have to spell this out?

That 31% is total tax rate, federal, state, local, property combined, get it?

[MADem]

12. The average American pays a 31.6% tax rate

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), a group of 34 advanced economies, said the rate for childless workers in the United States is lower than in many other industrialized nations.

The 31.5 average is the 11th lowest rate among OECD countries, putting the U.S. just behind Canada and the United Kingdom. The average rate throughout the OECD is 36 percent, a figure driven up rates in Belgium (55.3 percent), Austria (49.4 percent), Germany (49.3 percent) and Hungary (49 percent).
Chile, New Zealand, Mexico and Israel had the lowest average rates for single workers among OECD countries. Roughly two-thirds of the OECD's members are in Europe, and emerging economies like Brazil, China and India aren't members.

The report, released on the eve of the IRS's filing deadline, comes as Republicans and Democrats remain divided over what to do about the top tax rate for individuals in the U.S.

Democrats have no desire to bring the top rate of 39.6 percent down, after it was raised by the "fiscal cliff" deal more than two years ago. Top Republicans want to slash that rate and have called the divide one of the larger obstacles to an overhaul of the tax code that doesn't focus just on businesses.

I guess the rich get richer....

[AgingAmerican]

30. Federal, state, local, property combined = 31.6%

[TheCowsCameHome]

37. Stop that. They confuse easily.

[krawhitham]

90. Plus unmarried and zero kids

[katsy]

76. His effective tax rate would be 18.87% before deductions

Not 33%

Use a tax calculator and enter VT as residence

[kcjohn1]

16. You don't know what you are talking about

Majority of Americans don't pay federal taxes (this is because they don't earn enough). Without any deductibles his maximum federal tax would be 20%.

What you are confusing is other taxes like state taxes which there is very little deductibles and everyone is forced to pay.

[dubyadiprecession]

17. He made $205,271 and only gave $8,350 to charity? Wow! he sounds like a Republican!

[Buzz Clik]

18. Just another politician. Not. Special.

[Jefferson23]

66. You mean like the avatar of Bernie you're using to mock him?

He is special enough to be appreciated as authentic and CONSISTENT
on income inequality. Consistent his entire career fighting against greed.

Your candidate is a pretender.

[Buzz Clik]

69. My avatar is The Lorax. What is your problem?

He wants income equality, but only suckers pay their whole tax burden.

[Jefferson23]

72. You're not funny, you are obvious as hell, like your candidate...deceptive. n/t

[Buzz Clik]

77. Your avatar is the capital building. Mine is The Lorax.

Damn.

[Jefferson23]

78. You can pretend all you want, most people can see exactly what you're doing.

Disgusting that you're proud of it.

[Buzz Clik]

79. Okey dokey.

Nice ranting with you.

[PufPuf23]

19. Your OP is wrong because you failed to read or understand the links you posted.

The reported federal tax in the report for the 31% includes income tax plus tax withholding for social security.

The average federal income tax rate in the US is somewhat over 17%.

[jfern]

24. 17% is probably too high too, but it might depend on what you mean by average

[PufPuf23]

32. I estimated by using the edge of a paper for a straight edge on a bar graph

of a link in a link posted by the OP (as I thought the 31% was way off).

There was not the raw data but a graph of the raw data.

We get the idea.

The OP is wrong.

[k8conant]

47. The employer's share of social security was also included in the 31%...

is no one else even looking at the link?

And yes, about 17% for income tax rate for a single worker without children.

[PufPuf23]

57. Correct; both employee and employer withholding for social security is part of the 31%.

I don't think the OP was posted in good faith so why bother to understand?

sheeshh.

[Bobcat]

20. BS

I call bullshit. First, the article references effective tax rates for singles. Sanders is married and no doubt has considerable deductions related to his employment. Effective tax rate is the rate paid on gross income AFTER deductions. Divide income tax paid into gross income and you get EFFECTIVE tax rate. My (an economics teacher) effective tax rate for the last 25 years has been in the teens. Also, we are told that half the country pays ZERO income tax. I'm having a hard time swallowing these numbers.

[jfern]

21. False, the average worker pays less than 31.5% in federal income taxes

[Csainvestor]

31. Dirty trick they aren't including what bernie paid in state taxes.

Obama just released taxes and they added up all the taxes, not just federal income tax.

[jfern]

34. Or payroll taxes

I think the average worker pays less than 10% in federal income taxes.

[beam me up scottie]

36. Wait, you mean the op distorted the truth? I'm SHOCKED!

[QC]

46. Ignorant or dishonest?

Either way looks bad, and notice there's been no correction.

[beam me up scottie]

49. And there won't be, it's intentional imo.

This is just one of many, they're calling him cheap for not donating enough to charity while comparing his income to Hillary's.

[krispos42]

22. "The average American"...

Yeah, that needs to be defined.

Often what is done is they simply divide the total paid in taxes (for the country) by the number of taxpayers.

However, our income tax system is progressive, if not progressive enough. So higher earners pay a higher percentage.

The "average American" makes about $45k per year. Assuming taxable income is $30k, you're claiming he or she pays over 9 grand a year.

I made somewhat above average last year and paid less than that, single with one kid and no mortgage, medical, or education evidences to deduct.

So I think some of the anti-tax talking points are seeping into this conversation.

[Csainvestor]

23. Does that 31% include FICA

Just curious if it does, or it doesn't.

Once again this is only federal income tax not, state tax not fica and not property tax.

You would have to add all of those up, to get the total tax rate.

[Haveadream]

28. Romney Paid a Higher Tax Rate Than Bernie

Romney's 'Number' Is 13.9: What's Yours?

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2012/08/20/romneys-number-is-13-9-whats-yours/#6a4e0290207a

[revbones]

35. Wow, nice of you to use net rather than adjusted gross income.

Good way to make it completely inaccurate. Oh but that's not what you or the Hillary campaign is going for is it?

[anotherproletariat]

38. And he still released nothing about his investments. I bet his IRA has $ in big oil or Wall Street.

The Clinton tax statement are much more thorough.

Either way, he is certainly not middle class. Heck, he's not even in the bottom 97%. Oh Bernie...I'm so disillusioned.

[jmg257]

51. Ha ha ha! Senator salary of $174,000, a yearly pension of $5,000...Yeah he's rolling in it!

[Corporate666]

109. It's amusing...

..that the definition of poor has been revised up to include someone with no kids earning over $200,000 a year.

I suspect that 99.999% of the people who don't have a problem with Sanders paying less than Romney does in taxes would have a MAJOR problem with someone earning over $200k a year and paying less than Romney being considered "poor" and would never defend such an individual.

[w4rma]

39. I still can't tell the Hillary supporters from a typical Republican. (nt)

[Onlooker]

40. It's really ludicrous to go after Sanders on taxes

Whatever one thinks of Sanders, it's pretty obvious that he's never really focused on enriching himself. I suspect he'd still be a Senator even if the job paid $50k/year.

[MattP]

42. Nice argument about his taxes

You can't tell anything from his 1040

[snowy owl]

99. What are you looking for anyway? I guess he's hoarding millions - right?

What a bunch of fools on this thread.

[enid602]

43. bogus

Used to work (moonlight) at H&R Block. The claim of $203k in income is bogus, as he made $200k in the Senate alone. He was over 70.5 years old, meaniing he HAS do take at least 5% of his almost $1mm 401 (k), or its government equivalent. Asumably he's drawing SS. Jane's $200k golden parachute was payable over a 4 year period. She may have earned a salary in 2014. $203k my ass!

[Travis_0004]

70. I dont think he is releasing fake tax returns

After schedule A, personal exemption etc what he is claiming is realistic.

I trust Bearnies CPA's to get it right more than somebody who read one article and moonlights and HR Block.

[AzDar]

44. Where ARE those TRANSCRIPTS?

[Jefferson23]

45. You're going to use that avatar of Bernie even though you know

its offensive?

[seabeyond]

48. What I find ironic, two decades of adult life not contributing in. Now, still contributing less.

[beam me up scottie]

56. Tens of thousands of dollars = NOT GOOD ENUFF BERMIE!!1! I WANNA SEE HIS BERTH CERTIFICAT!!

[seabeyond]

59. I want to see a man that is more than talk. He talks about ALL of us contributing, yet he doesn't.

[beam me up scottie]

63. Contributing thousands to charity = NOT GOOD ENUFF BERRRNY!

Maybe he should set up a family foundation and funnel millions into it!

[seabeyond]

64. He is right there with Romney.

[beam me up scottie]

68. ZOMGWTFBBQ?!! WHERE DOES HE KEEP HIS DOG WHEN HE'S TRAVELLING TO THE SOVIET UNION???

[QC]

85. Ever notice how most Hillary talking points are also Republican talking points?

Free stuff, commies, lazy hippies, superpredators, damn kids, etc. It's all purely coincidental, I'm sure, but interesting nonetheless.

[beam me up scottie]

86. I have, now that you mention it.

At first I thought they were just defending the Clintons but it's become apparent that I was mistaken.

The increased use of rabid right wing talking points has convinced me that this hatred of Bernie and his supporters is based on something other than primary tribalism.

[QC]

87. And ever notice how we have to abandon every fundamental Democratic principle

in order to support the Clintons?

First, we agree with the reasoning behind Citizens United, that big money doesn't corrupt politicians. And now, apparently, we are supposed to believe that progressive taxation is a bad thing.

Is there anything or anyone these people won't abandon in order to help Hillary get that ultimate résumé line?

[beam me up scottie]

88. When I saw them defend her willingness to compromise on abortion I saw the light.

That's one thing I was sure that would unite us all, one thing that we could all agree on - no further restrictions on abortion. If Bernie had said that (or any other man for that matter) all hell would have broken loose.

No, there is nothing and no one they won't abandon.

[QC]

89. And just imagine if Bernie had participated in a racist skit.

The weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth would never end.

But then we're talking about a crowd that's willing to accept antisemitism if it comes from a member of their circle, so there's clearly nothing that can't be tactfully overlooked for the sake of Hillary.

[beam me up scottie]

91. Exactly, the way they laughed that off was chilling.

And you're right, a hateful anti-Semitic screed that was so offensive it made its way to FSTDT is being defended and shrugged off as though it was nothing.

If someone on our side had used hate speech against a minority group after smearing a member of that minority for months they would be driven off the site.

[QC]

93. In fact, pointing out antisemitism is worse than being an antisemite.

That's such twisted morality than I can't begin to comprehend it, but it's nothing new--we saw plenty of good, decent LGBT people banned for kicking back against homophobes who were allowed to torment them for years and are in most cases still members in good standing. Remember that? It was OK to *be* a homophobe, but to fight back against a homophobe was a bannable offense.

Pretzel ethics.

[beam me up scottie]

95. Yes I do, the purge that many still insist never happened.

And it's quite a coincidence that many of the players who engaged in and defended homophobia are now excusing anti-Semitism, isn't it?

[QC]

96. Purely coincidental, I am sure.

But yes, I'm sure you and I are thinking of the same names.

[Stargleamer]

107. so 13.5% on FED income tax return = not contributing

Also your "he talks about ALL of us contributing"--does not really characterizes his position, and I think you know that. His emphasis has always been on a much more progressive taxation rates, not on everyone contributing. He knows that many people don't pay any Federal Income tax because they're too poor to meet the threshold. Is he like going around saying this should be different, that they should pay something? No. You know that too.

If he paid just slightly less as a percentage than Romney, it wasn't through a taxation rate of his choosing. Obviously he wants Romney to pay much more, and I think he wants even people making the amount of money he does to pay more. Fox News has had wealthy progressives on their shows advocating a more progressive tax rate. One of the 1st things out of the mouths of Fox News Commentators, is well, do you make up the difference between what you are advocating for those in your class and what you legally owe by sending the Federal Government a check?? As if they don't they're being hypocrites when they are calling for a class action for all in their class. You could probably level the hypocrisy charge against a number of progressive politicians, such as Barbara Lee, if they don't make up the difference between what they are advocating and what they themselves are paying when it comes to taxes.

Also, as others have pointed out here, 13.5% doesn't really reflect all of Bernie's taxes paid. The 31.5% percent reflects both Federal, State, city, and other taxes. So who knows what the rate Bernie paid for all his taxes combined.

[DisgustipatedinCA]

104. Speakum sentence full? Mind me never--snargleblatt.

[philosslayer]

50. Fail

No way in hell the average US worker pays 31.5% in Federal taxes. Especially when 45% of Americans pay NO Federal Income Taxes.

[dchill]

52. Fail? Or LIE...

And I don't mean Long Island Expressway.

[questionseverything]

54. bernie's taxable income $140,994 paid $26,961 in fed taxes

clinton's taxable income ,same year 2014

$22,787,248. and paid $8,970,503. in fed taxes

so clinton's rate was about 39% and bernie's about 19%

since the clintons made 161 times as much money i am fine with their rate being higher

[HooptieWagon]

55. Epic Fail!

Hillarians fail math again.

[msongs]

60. gee I make 5 times less and my tax rate is higher than his. damn oligarchs nt

[pangaia]

61. That (Not you) is just stupid.

You seen to have zero idea what goes into a tax return, how the tax is calculated and why.

Do some research.

[elleng]

62. My 'income,'

pension(s) + soc sec, are about $64,000, and my tax rate is about ?10%. 'Funny?'

[matt819]

67. First off

Whining about this is disingenuous. Depends on deductions.

And, as others have observed, to the extent that this is unfair, this is what Bernie is fighting for.

Also, it's not insignificant that Bernie's income is less than Hillary's pay for one speech.

[lumberjack_jeff]

71. Now that you know the difference between marginal tax rate

And effective... delete this bullshit.

Otherwise forfeit any future credibility.

[hobbit709]

74. Future credibility implies there was credibility in the past.

[QC]

84. Way, way too late to start caring about credibility.

No point in shutting the barn door once the mule's already run away.

[ibegurpard]

102. Lol. this one never had any credibility.

[frylock]

75. This is a Fistful of Fail

[Politicalboi]

80. I've heard that

Bernie doesn't put the seat down when he's done in the bathroom. Shame on you Senator.

[Cal Carpenter]

81. Tax code favors the upper/middle class

It primarily favors those with means and power. (And, in doing so, maintains their means and power.)

People of middle to upper middle income are most likely to have mortgages, property taxes, college expenses, business expenses, donations and tons of other things that can be written off.

It's fucked up. The working class and poor don't get shit. Even the opportunistic stimulus incentives like cash for clunkers only benefits people who are able to buy a new car. They need cash now, not write-offs in the next calendar year.

And don't even get me started on other regressive taxes like sales tax etc...

But that's not Bernie's fault and arguably he is working against that system. Aside from the charitable donations, he pretty much has to report all that stuff, the IRS knows most of it already anyway.

[Nanjeanne]

83. When talking about taxes it is helpful if people actually u deist and the difference between

Marginal and effective tax rates. It's also helpful if people remember that we have progressive tax rates so if you are in, for example, the 35% tax bracket, you do t pay 35% on your entire income. You pay graduated percentages on each bracket, etc.

But that isn't as jazzy as a stupid OMG he paid 13.5%. It's much easier to post something you haven't a clue about.

Here is a link that spells out things very simply with examples and everything. Might help if someone really is interested in how taxes work. http://cawidgets.morningstar.ca/ArticleTemplate/ArticleGL.aspx?id=701059&culture=en-CA

[krawhitham]

92. The Truth Will Set You Free

http://www.pgpf.org/budget-basics/how-much-do-americans-pay-in-federal-taxes

[cheapdate]

101. ATTENTION EVERYONE WHO IS CONFUSED ABOUT THE "31.5% AVERAGE" TAX RATE!!!

I'd like to make this more confusing.

The figure of "31.5%" reported in The Hill comes from an OECD report.

What this figure represents is the "tax wedge as a percent of the labor cost" and is described thusly by the OECD:

The tax wedge between total labour costs to the employer and the corresponding net take-home pay for average single workers without children

http://www.oecd.org/ctp/tax-policy/taxing-wages-tax-burden-trends-latest-year.htm

While it's not entirely clear what this means, it means something like the difference between what the employer pays for "labor cost" and what a single worker without children realizes for his or her take home pay.

Clear?

[David__77]

105. That isn't especially interesting to me.

Nor, for that matter, is what rate other candidates are taxed at. I think there's nothing wrong in minimizing one's tax burden using any available, legal means to do so.

[ecstatic]

106. Uggh. His comments last night really annoyed me!

"They are very boring tax returns. No big money from speeches"

Umm, sitting Congress members aren't allowed to give paid speeches. Next....

"No major investments.

OK, what were the minor investments?

Unfortunately - unfortunately - I remain one of the poorer members of the United States Senate."

What the hell is his point here? As a poli sci major, Bernie couldn't make additional money even if he wanted to. So that's a moot point. Is the fact that he didn't have additional skills and talents to make money outside of Congress supposed to make him superior somehow? Yes, Bernie, you are one of the poorer members of Congress, because your colleagues are lawyers, doctors, etc.-- they were successful before being elected to Congress.

It must be nice to make that much money for pretty much doing nothing.

Bernie's income lands him squarely in the top 1%. I too am amazed at how little he donated to charity.

[mgcgulfcoast]

108. So what?

I bet everyone on here pays as little tax as they possibly can.

[Cha]

110. KICK