regressive tax
Flat-rate income charge
A regressive tax takes a larger percentage of income from lower earners than from higher earners.
Sales taxes are regressive because everyone pays the same rate regardless of income—a poor family spending most of their earnings on taxable goods pays a higher effective rate than a wealthy one.
Contrast with progressive tax, where rates increase with income.
Government percentage on purchases
- VATIncremental consumption tax
- value-added taxIncremental consumption levy
- tariffTax on traded goods
- flat taxSingle-rate income levy
poll tax · payroll tax · sin tax · tobacco tax · user fee · license fee · property tax · consumption tax
Not properly scaled
- unfairUnjust or partial
- working classManual laborers collectively
- take-home payEarnings after withholdings
- cost of livingPrice of basic necessities
household budget · financial strain · disposable income · necessities · basic goods · fixed income · poverty line · economic hardship
Economic inequality measure
- disparityMeasurable difference between things
- povertySevere lack of resources
- stratificationDivision into distinct levels
- classismPrejudice by economic rank
socioeconomic · inequity · economic divide · marginalization · redistribution · progressivity · privilege · exclusion
Laws governing taxation
- fiscal policyState spending and taxation
- taxationCompulsory government revenue collection
- revenueBusiness income total
- tax rateGovernment's claimed share
tax bracket · tax base · tax liability · taxable income · taxpayer · tax reform · legislation · government revenue
Unjust or partial
- unjustNot fair or right
- inequitableNot fair or impartial
- exploitativeUnfairly using others' vulnerabilities
- discriminatoryShowing unfair distinction
divisive · contentious · polarizing · oppressive · elitist · debatable · controversial · unpopular
sales tax
Government percentage on purchases
- VATIncremental consumption tax
- value-added taxIncremental consumption levy
- tariffTax on traded goods
flat tax · poll tax · payroll tax · sin tax · tobacco tax · user fee · license fee · property tax · consumption tax · social security tax
disproportionate
Not properly scaled
- unfairUnjust or partial
- working classManual laborers collectively
- take-home payEarnings after withholdings
cost of living · household budget · financial strain · disposable income · necessities · basic goods · fixed income · poverty line · economic hardship · squeezed
wealth gap
Economic inequality measure
- disparityMeasurable difference between things
- povertySevere lack of resources
- stratificationDivision into distinct levels
classism · socioeconomic · inequity · economic divide · marginalization · redistribution · progressivity · privilege · exclusion · income disparity
tax code
Laws governing taxation
- fiscal policyState spending and taxation
- taxationCompulsory government revenue collection
- revenueBusiness income total
tax rate · tax bracket · tax base · tax liability · taxable income · taxpayer · tax reform · legislation · government revenue · budget
unfair
Unjust or partial
- unjustNot fair or right
- inequitableNot fair or impartial
- exploitativeUnfairly using others' vulnerabilities
discriminatory · divisive · contentious · polarizing · oppressive · elitist · debatable · controversial · unpopular · protest
- economic policymonetary policy, tax policy, fiscal discipline, fiscal stimulus, fiscal restraint
- taxessales tax, income tax, estate tax, excise tax, corporate tax
- taxationtax, income tax, sales tax, tax return, tax refund
- Tax Policytax reform, tax policy, tax code, tax brackets, tax rates
- economic ethicsfair wages, fair pricing, economic justice, economic fairness, wealth redistribution
- fiscal policybudget deficit, deficit spending, national budget, budget surplus, budget deficits
regressive taxprogressive tax
Levy increasing with income
progressive taxation · wealth tax · income tax · estate tax · inheritance tax
regress, regression, digressive, regressive, retrogression, regressively, regressiveness