The Ultimate Tax Brackets Quiz

Estimated Completion Time
1 min
The Ultimate Tax Brackets Quiz
Image: Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

About This Quiz

Depending on your income range, you will be taxed according to one of the tax brackets that exist today in the income tax system. Does it pay to work hard and get ahead, or will Uncle Sam just take anything extra that you earn? Take our quiz and find out whether ambition pays in light of today's tax reality.
A _____ is a range of incomes taxed at a specific rate.
tax bracket
tax shelter
tax group
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you fall into the lowest tax bracket, you pay a certain rate in taxes; if you fall into a higher tax bracket, you pay a higher rate in taxes. If your income changes, you may move into a different tax bracket, depending on where you fall in the range.

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Tax brackets are components of _______ income tax system.
an aggressive
a progressive
a regressive
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The United States tax system is one in which taxes increase progressively as income increases. It is considered fairer for those with higher incomes to assume a larger portion of the income tax burden than those with lower incomes.

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Which of the following tax systems would tax all taxpayers at the same rate?
the Ralph Nader tax
the flat tax
the round tax
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In the case of a flat tax system, every taxpayer would pay at the same rate, regardless of income. For example, if the flat tax rate was 10%, whether you earn $5,000 a year or $50,000, you would pay 10% of your salary to the IRS.

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What is your income tax filing status if you are single and living alone without any dependents?
head of household
single
qualifying widow(er)
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

There are four possible filing statuses for the purposes of paying United Stated federal income tax: single, head of household, married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er), and married filing separately. Though singles can also be heads of household: If you live alone without dependents, you are categorized as single.

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How many tax brackets are there for each filing status in the United States income tax system?
two
four
six
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In 2008, there were six brackets for each filing status. IRS Schedule X lists the six tax brackets for individuals filing as singles and Schedule Y-1 lists the six tax brackets for those married couples filing jointly .

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Which tax rate do you actually pay to the Internal Revenue Service?
your effective tax rate
your ineffective tax rate
your progressive tax rate
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You actually pay a tax rate that taxes different portions of your income as it progresses through the tax brackets. To find your effective tax rate, or your overall tax rate, divide your total tax by your taxable income.

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The first United States income tax was established in:
1761
1861
1961
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The earliest United States income tax was established by the Revenue Act of 1861 to help fund the Civil War. It was repealed in 1872.

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Federal income tax as we know it has been in place since:
1903
1913
1923
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The 16th Amendment to the Constitution was passed in 1913, giving the federal government the power to levy taxes.

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How many tax brackets were there during the Great Depression?
five
15
55
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In an attempt to raise money for government projects during the Great Depression, the federal government instituted a system that included 55 tax brackets in increments of 1 percent, with a high tax rate of 79 percent.

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The Economic Recovery Tax Cut of 1981 _____ tax rates.
lowered
raised
abolished
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In an attempt to stimulate economic growth, the Economic Recovery Tax Cut of 1981 lowered tax rates. The highest rate was slashed from 70 percent to 50 percent.

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You Got:
/10
Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images