# Percentage tax take from your salary **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 15, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555 "2006-11-15T17:50:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/1 "2006-11-15T17:50:17Z")
Done this before but it’s been awhile. I live in Ireland. We have different tax rates depending on how much you earn. I’ve got a decent job. Earn over the national average but not way over. Looking at my paycheck I see that the after tax credits etc are taking into accounts the precentage of my monthly salary taken in tax is **17.8%**. Not bad IMO. I’m not tlalking about pensions, health insurance and the rest just pure tax. What’s yours? ---
**Author:** ![Trunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/87869e/32.png) [@Trunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trunk)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/2 "2006-11-15T18:07:59Z")
Feds take 11.3% State takes 6.9% Social Security takes 6.2% (but I’ll get that back, supposedly) Medicare takes 1.4% (that too?) For a total of 25.8% out of each paycheck. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/3 "2006-11-15T18:08:52Z")
Just calculated. 21.8% of my salary goes to taxes on the national, state and city level. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/4 "2006-11-15T18:17:02Z")
19.6% Income Tax / National Insurance Plus a 90p NI rebate last month, for some reason. I’ll spend it wisely. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/5 "2006-11-15T18:18:59Z")
Federal - 11.2 medicare - 1.4 social security - 6.2 state - 2.6 state disability - .79 total - 22.19% ---
**Author:** ![JediMaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9e8a1a/32.png) [@JediMaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JediMaster)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/6 "2006-11-15T18:19:52Z")
Dubai, UAE: 0% ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/7 "2006-11-15T18:30:25Z")
Git 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KSO](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@KSO](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KSO)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/8 "2006-11-15T18:30:35Z")
Social Security: 4.54% Medicare: 1.69% Federal Income Tax: 19.30% State Income Tax: 4.79% Total: 30.32% I consider SS and Medicare to be taxes since the likelihood of me getting either of those benefits by the time I retire is slim. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/9 "2006-11-15T18:38:42Z")
15% to the Federal 0% to the State (I don’t make all that much money, so I’m in a low tax bracket for the state) 7.65% FICA 1% for Medicare ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/10 "2006-11-15T19:16:54Z")
**yojimbo** are you including PRSI? Mine is: 8.9% national insurance 18% income tax Of course because of Socialized Medicine, my health insurance already is included in that. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Renob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8c91f0/32.png) [@Renob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Renob)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/11 "2006-11-15T21:24:19Z")
Actually, folks are underestimating what they pay in taxes in the U.S. The rate of taxation for Social Security is 15.3% and the rate of taxation for Medicare is 2.9%. Although your employer pays for part of that, in reality it’s coming out of your pocket. It’s part of the employer’s expense to employ you and without that tax, you would be keeping that money. So the feds are taking more than you expect. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_chao_goes_mu/32/3191_2.png) [@The\_Chao\_Goes\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Chao_Goes_Mu)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/12 "2006-11-15T21:36:04Z")
-United States- Federal 13.97% Social Security 8.14% State 3.25% Local 2.54% (includes the school tax) For a grand total of 28.75% When I file my taxes this year I am going to send a bottle of lube with my papers. At least getting fucked in the ass won’t hurt as much. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/13 "2006-11-15T21:44:52Z")
[QUOTE=Renob] Actually, folks are underestimating what they pay in taxes in the U.S. The rate of taxation for Social Security is 15.3% and the rate of taxation for Medicare is 2.9%. Although your employer pays for part of that, in reality it’s coming out of your pocket. It’s part of the employer’s expense to employ you and without that tax, you would be keeping that money. So the feds are taking more than you expect. [/QUOTE] The same is true for the UK and Ireland, where NI and PRSI respectively have an “employer’s contribution” component. That said, since one takes a job on the gross salary quoted, I find it difficult to believe that the employer would quote a higher gross salary for a given position because they’re not getting fucked in the ass too. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/14 "2006-11-15T21:48:23Z")
These comparisons are not that meaningful unless you take into account sales tax, duty on things like gasoline and alcohol, property tax etc. Overall, tax in the US and Ireland is below 30% of GDP, while British tax is getting on for 40%. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/15 "2006-11-15T21:51:47Z")
Let’s see - from my last paycheck: US - California Social Security: 6.2% Medicare: 1.5% Federal Income Tax: 7.9% State Income Tax: 1.3% State Disability Insurance (CA thing) Tax: 0.8% Grand Total: 17.7% withheld from my paycheck. I do get a little bit back at the end of the year. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/16 "2006-11-15T21:59:02Z")
[QUOTE=Usram] These comparisons are not that meaningful unless you take into account sales tax, duty on things like gasoline and alcohol, property tax etc. Overall, tax in the US and Ireland is below 30% of GDP, while British tax is getting on for 40%. [/QUOTE] Yes, “overall tax burden”. Not _just_ Income taxes. According to Forbes, the USA > **[Overall\_Tax\_Burden\_Governemt\_Spending.pdf](https://images.forbes.com/media/2006/05/Overall_Tax_Burden_Governemt_Spending.pdf)** > > 48.52 KB ranks 27th lowest of 30 nations they surveyed, with 25.5%. Ireland comes in @#25 and 30%(not bad at all, but they pay _much_ higher sales taxes that us Americans do), with the UK @#14, and 36.1%. Highest is Sweden with a total tax burden of 50.7%! :eek: I pay 25% of my paycheck in various taxes and such-like. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/17 "2006-11-15T22:00:13Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] **yojimbo** are you including PRSI? [/QUOTE] Yep. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/18 "2006-11-15T22:10:22Z")
A bit complicated From my total paycheck, it is Fed: 14.5% FICA: 3.8% (but going down, since I’ve hit the maximum) Medicare: 1.3% California state tax: 4.9% But the actual tax rate is a bit higher, since I’ve got a good chunk of 401K that isn’t taxed, and a good bit of a health care reimbursement account, which lets me use pre-tax money to pay medical bills insurance doesn’t cover. For my family as a whole it is worse, since my wife is a freelancer and pays self-employment tax. All the numbers from the US, at least, are actually witholding, not tax, and the real tax rate could be a bit different. Is that true for Ireland also? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/19 "2006-11-15T22:10:29Z")
Here’s another cite, but it doesn;t count Property or sales taxes: [http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Taxes/P148855.asp](http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/Taxes/P148855.asp) Tax burdens around the world Country Single, no kids Married, 2 kids Country Single, no kids Married, 2 kids Australia 28.3% 16.0% Korea 17.3% 16.2% Austria 47.4% 35.5% Luxembourg 35.3% 12.2% Belgium 55.4% 40.3% Mexico 18.2% 18.2% Canada 31.6% 21.5% Netherlands 38.6% 29.1% Czech Republic 43.8% 27.1% New Zealand 20.5% 14.5% Denmark 41.4% 29.6% Norway 37.3% 29.6% Finland 44.6% 38.4% Poland 43.6% 42.1% France 50.1% 41.7% Portugal 36.2% 26.6% Germany 51.8% 35.7% Slovak Republic 38.3% 23.2% Greece 38.8% 39.2% Spain 39.0% 33.4% Hungary 50.5% 39.9% Sweden 47.9% 42.4% Iceland 29.0% 11.0% Switzerland 29.5% 18.6% Ireland 25.7% 8.1% Turkey 42.7% 42.7% Italy 45.4% 35.2% United Kingdom 33.5% 27.1% Japan 27.7% 24.9% United States 29.1% 11.9% Source: OECD, 2005 data Here, Ireland does better. Looks like if it wasn’t for those damn sales taxes, Ireland would be pretty sweet, tax-wise. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2006, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555/20 "2006-11-15T23:02:19Z")
[quote=DrDeth] United Kingdom 33.5% 27.1% Yep, a third looks about right. Then there’s VAT, council tax, and the huge fuel tax as well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/percentage-tax-take-from-your-salary/380555.md?page=2)