United States Income Tax History

Many of the taxes we pay today were created in the.
United states income tax history. The first income tax suggested in the united states was during the war of 1812. For example where the actual form and directions fit on a mere four pages in 1913 they total an intimidating 106 pages today. As envisioned in 1913 the modern united states income tax is designed to be a progressive tax system meaning that higher income earners should pay a larger percentage of their income in taxes than lower income earners. The first federal income tax was created in 1861 during the civil war as a mechanism to finance the war effort.
This is a huge difference compared to today with rates as low as 37 for top incomes over 500 000. The amendment gave congress legal authority to tax income and resulted in a revenue law that taxed incomes of both individuals and corporations. The history of income tax in america is an unusual one. Between 1944 and 1963 marginal taxes for top salaries over 200 000 were around 91 94.
History of federal income tax rates. The 16th amendment was properly approved in february of 1913 and woodrow wilson signed the requisite legislation for our tax code on october 3 1913. In order to help pay for its war effort in the american civil war the united states government imposed its first personal income tax on august 5 1861 as part of the revenue act of 1861. A brief history of income taxes in the united states earlier this month marked the day that tax code as we know it complete with income tax became law.
While the civil war led to the creation of the first income tax in the u s the federal income tax as we know it was officially enacted in 1913. The british tax law applied progressive rates to income. History of income tax in the united states historically federal income taxes in the unites states have seen tax rates as high as 94. 1913 2020 in 1913 the states ratified the 16 th amendment instituting the federal income tax.
The 1913 tax looks nothing like it looks today. Tax rates were 3 on income exceeding 600 and less than 10 000 and 5 on income exceeding 10 000. In 1913 the 16th amendment to the constitution made the income tax a permanent fixture in the u s. Farmers loan trust co until 1913 with the ratification of the 16th amendment.
The history of income taxation in the united states began in the 19th century with the imposition of income taxes to fund war efforts. The tax proposal was developed in 1814. The british tax rates ranged from 0 833 on income starting at 60 to 10 on income above 200.