The following graph from the national Tax Foundation, using IRS data shows how the top 5% of income earners pay an average income tax rate of 17.3% and the top 1% pay an average rate of 25.4%. It should be noted that this only accounts for federal income taxes. Once you pile state income tax on top of that the average rates jump much higher, especially in high tax states like California and New York, driving the wealthy to low or no income tax states like Texas and Florida.
Compare that 25.4% average tax rate to the bottom 50% of earners rate of just 3.4%. That is a massive difference. When it comes to the tax rates the wealthy pay, it is a fact that they pay far more than middle and lower income individuals. Their average rate is SEVEN TIMES higher than those in the bottom 50% of income. …
In the most recent year that complete data is available, 2018, the bottom 50% of income earners, those with AGI less than $43,614 (single), contributed just under 3% of the total taxes paid, or $45.1 billion dollars to be exact. The other 97% of the total taxes collected was paid by the top 50% of income earners.