What percent do retired people pay in taxes?

Answer 1

Retired people don't pay taxes, they get paid instead by the government.

The above is entirely wrong. I suspect he may mean that "retired" people get social security - which is not at all always true. one can retire at any age, and frequently one retires because they have made or accumulated enough wealth that the income from itis what they will live on. And like social security itself, it too is taxable.

FEDERAL TAXES ARE THE SAME THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY...YOUR STATE MAKE NO DIFFERENCE. (However, State tax laws are specific to each area, and generally follow the Federal guidelines, but not always).

Whether you have to file a tax return (or pay tax) depends, in part, on your filing status, deductions, amount & type of income. THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS START AND STOP AGES, OR DON'T HAVE TO FILE (or pay) BECAUSE RETIRED, OR ON SS, OR WORK FROM HOME, OR MADE IT ON THE INTERNET, OR A STUDENT, OR IT WAS A BONUS, VACATION PAY, AWARD, OR SUCH.....it is all addressed as a matter of "how much TAXABLE income".(Note working isn't relevant either, as many people who don't work or are retired, or disabled, or old, or young, or in school, have income from many sources...savings, investments, etc. and TAXABLE income is different than what you may otherwise think of as income...in most circumstances you have to do many of the calculations needed to file a return, just to determine what taxable income may be).

Likewise, there are no special or fixed rates for retired, student, doctor, sanitation worker, President, convict...whatever. The amount of taxable income after applicable deductions and adjustments determines the rate applied to your particular situation. The rate, as well as the amount, you pay changes as the amount of income does. And it changes and is a different amount for each person, based on their own situation. And, the amount any person may pay is normally different on say dollar 1 as compared to dollar 25,000

Once put through the calculations, some may be taxable income and some may not...some taxable income may not be taxable TODAY, but is later, or it may be offset by losses, many things can happen.

The amount withheld or estimated payments doesn't change how much you pay, just when you paid it. These items are discussed in other questions, but they are under YOUR control, not your employer etc. But they are required or there will be penalties.

FIRST OFF TAX IS CALCULATED ON TAXABLE INCOMEWHICH IS NOT THE SAME AS WHAT WAS "MADE" USING ANY OTHER METHOD. IT IS NOT YOUR SALARY. IT MUST BE DETERMINED TO CALCULATE TAX. Income of different types is taxed differently, if at all, and each person is taxed differently. DETERMINING IT IS 99% OF MOST TAX MATTERS. Hence there is no tax bracket, or percent or anything for "someone making X$". Whatever the amount is, one could pay nothing, to a very high percent, depending on what results when calculating taxable income.

After determining if your even taxable at all, much more goes into determining how much tax is due, and even how much was paid. Again, sometime in life you must have heard things, spoken and written about virtually everyday, in news, social, school and business situations and concerning tax. Things like location, marital status, number of dependents, how much and type of deductions or expenses you have (like medical or interest paid on a home), how or the costs in how the money was made....etc, etc! Maybe your just think all that applies to everyone else and not you? UNDERSTAND 2 PEOPLE, WORKING AT THE SAME JOB MAKING THE SAME WAGE, WILL ALMOST NEVER PAY THE SAME TAX!

Other than their personal situations like married or not, children or other dependents, charitable contributions, what they choose and how the employer handles medical, retirement and many other elections at work, what if any interest or other taxes they pay, how they spend their money....and many other elections surrounding how any one person chooses to handle their filing options, their investments and much, much more...the differences that result can be substantial.

Heck, every year you probably see a local TV station having 10 experts (normally incl the IRS too), calculate the tax for someone...and get 10 different answers...most all of which may actually be right!

It is probably a good indicator you need to get professional assistance in doing it (handling your tax AND financial affairs), and also start learning what is involved, because the one that can do it best for you....is you!

Virtually no 2 people with even the same job and income, or getting income from some source, will owe the same tax. That is why all those steps, forms and considerations that must be addressed and then properly applied need to be done.