# Do government and state workers pay income tax? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 15, 2003, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764 "2003-01-15T16:44:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/21 "2003-01-15T20:59:40Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m a U.S. government employee, and I do pay taxes. I’m sorry to hear that. Better luck in the next election. : d&r : ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/22 "2003-01-15T21:28:42Z")
My mother works for the IRS…she pays taxes… ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/23 "2003-01-15T22:25:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dono \* > \*\*There’s only a few of us old birds left still grandfathered under CSRS. 🆒 \*\* And don’t volunteer to switch to FERS, no matter what! (I’m assuming you’re still working.) Take it from someone who took early retirement under CSRS at the ripe old age of 46 (hence at least one of the meanings of my username!). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2003, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/24 "2003-01-15T23:34:00Z")
Mrs. Kunilou is a public school teacher. She of course pays all the usual state and federal taxes. However she belongs to a public pension plan and therefore does not pay into Social Security. However, that covers only her regular, contracted salary. When she teaches summer school or does other non-contract work, that income is subject to Social security taxes. Confusing. ---
**Author:** ![SandWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@SandWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandWriter)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/25 "2003-01-16T04:28:14Z")
I thought you were talking about Federal and State Income tax. Social Security is a seperate issue / temporary retirement deal. AFAIK members of congress pay Federal taxes and State taxes from where they reside or represent. IIRC it seems that it comes up every year as an issue with the press wanting to have the politicians income tax records made public. We should be careful that this thread doesn’t turn into a poll on who pays Social Security Tax and who doesn’t We should also be careful that this thread doesn’t turn into a great debate on weather we should pay taxes or not. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/26 "2003-01-16T04:30:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by drachillix \* > \*\*My mother works for the IRS…she pays taxes… \*\* Somehow that is an incredibly satisfying thing to read. ---
**Author:** ![shulmahn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@shulmahn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shulmahn)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/27 "2003-01-16T04:59:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by John Mace \* > \*\*Correct me if I’m wrong, but I beilieve that members of the US Congress still do not pay into S.S. They have their own system set up. It’s amazing that this is allowed to stand… \*\* Ok, you’re wrong. 😃 In short: Congressmen and women pay into the Social Security System and into a separate retirement system… from [C-SPAN](http://www.c-span.org/questions/weekly68.htm) > [@](#): > > Since January 1, 1984, all Members of Congress also participate in the Social Security system and are required to pay Social Security taxes. More information can be found in [this Congressional Research Service report.](http://www.house.gov/english/RL30631.pdf) ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/28 "2003-01-16T05:34:11Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kniz \* > **When I was younger (much younger), I couldn’t understand why government workers were taxed. It seemed like a waste of time to pay them and then take it back.** How is the government going to figure out exactly how much to pay their employees, then? In every income-taxing country I am aware of, taxes are assessed on annual income, not per-paycheque. Furthermore, different employees will be claiming different tax credits and whatnot. Because personal situations and tax forms change every year, people don’t usually know ahead of time which credits and deductions they’re eligible for. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/29 "2003-01-16T15:00:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Early Out \* > \*\*And don’t volunteer to switch to FERS, no matter what! (I’m assuming you’re still working.) Take it from someone who took early retirement under CSRS at the ripe old age of 46 (hence at least one of the meanings of my username!). \*\* I remember back when FERS was first starting and they were making a big thing about trying to get as many people as possible to make the switch. One of the supposed selling points was that if you already had some Social Security credits, but not enough to qualify for benefits (which was my situation), this would keep those credits from being “wasted.” But I looked at the numbers more carefully and decided to stay with CSRS. I could take early retirement now, at 50, but with the age reduction it’s not quite enough to live on. Maybe in a few more years, though… ---
**Author:** ![David\_Simmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9de053/32.png) [@David\_Simmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_Simmons)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/30 "2003-01-16T16:17:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SandWriter \* > \*\*What also might amaze you is that people that collect social security are also taxed on that income. > \*\* To be strictly accurate there is an income test and if you are over a certain amount exclusive of Social Security then 85% of the Social Security is added to taxable income. ---
**Author:** ![dono](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@dono](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dono)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/31 "2003-01-16T18:08:18Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Early Out:_ > And don’t volunteer to switch to FERS, no matter what! Yup - hence the smiley! (I notice your location is Reston - you didn’t happen to work for the USGS, did you?) > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by SandWriter:_ > I thought you were talking about Federal and State Income tax. Social Security is a seperate issue Quite right. In hindsight, I wish I had prefaced my post with \ or “We do pay income tax. Perhaps what you’re thinking of is …”. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2003, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/32 "2003-01-16T22:35:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by dono \* > **(I notice your location is Reston - you didn’t happen to work for the USGS, did you?)** Nope, I was a GSA drone. It would have been nice to work for USGS - I could have bicycled to work! ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/33 "2003-01-17T00:11:27Z")
Does there remain a General Question on the table[sup]1[/sup]? [sup]1[/sup]The _tax_ table, of course. Ah, I slay me. ---
**Author:** ![Keweenaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/da6949/32.png) [@Keweenaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keweenaw)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/34 "2003-01-17T00:22:02Z")
I had a neighbor who was a Michigan State Policeman. He did pay State and Income tax, but not Social Security. Apparently they have (had?) their own system. ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/35 "2003-01-17T05:37:59Z")
Military personnel also pay taxes. But, if we don’t live in base housing, we receive a housing allowance which is non-taxable. Also, troops deployed to combat zones are not taxed. Troops in South Korea currently pay taxes, but some people are lobbying to make that a tax-free zone. ---
**Author:** ![Early\_Out](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Early\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Early_Out)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2003, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764/36 "2003-01-17T13:28:45Z")
The only quasi-government workers who are exempt from Federal and state income taxes, AFAIK, are employees of the World Bank, in D.C. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-government-and-state-workers-pay-income-tax/148764.md?page=1)