1. UNITED STATES TAX
SYSTEM
Standard – Education, Careers, Income
Target
• Describe factors affecting take-home pay
such as tax withholding, benefits, and
plan payroll deductions.
Objectives
• Describe how the progressive tax code,
current tax brackets, and different taxes
between states lead to individuals paying
varying amounts of taxes
• Explore how three factors (your salary, the
state you live in, and the cost of living) can
have a big impact on how much you pay in
taxes and how much you have leftover to
spend on yourself.

2. WHICH OF THE 9 TYPES OF
TAXES IS THE LARGEST
SOURCE OF REVENUE FOR
THE GOVERNMENT?
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING
CATEGORIES DO YOU
CURRENTLY PAY TAXES
FOR?
TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE
WITH THE WORDWALL

3. THREE TYPES OF TAX
SYSTEMS
WHAT KIND OF TAX SYSTEM
DOES THE UNITED STATES
USE?
EXPLAIN THE MAIN
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
REGRESSIVE AND PROGRESSIVE
TAX SYSTEMS.
WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE
PROS AND CONS OF A
REGRESSIVE TAX SYSTEM?
WATCH THIS VIDEO TO LEARN
ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN
REGRESSIVE, PROPORTIONAL, AND
PROGRESSIVE TAXES.

4. HOW TAX BRACKETS
ACTUALLY WORK
BECAUSE THE U.S. USES A
SPECIFIC TYPE OF TAX
THAT YOU LEARNED ABOUT
THE PREVIOUS RESOURCE,
PEOPLE ARE TAXED ON A
SCHEDULE THAT BREAKS
DOWN THEIR INCOME INTO
TAX BRACKETS.

5. Income Tax Brackets

6. IN THIS ACTIVITY,
EXPLORE HOW
THREE FACTORS
YOUR SALARY,
THE STATE YOU
LIVE IN,
AND THE COST
OF LIVING CAN
HAVE A BIG
IMPACT ON HOW
MUCH YOU PAY
IN TAXES AND
HOW MUCH YOU
HAVE LEFTOVER
TO SPEND ON

7. PART 1 – YOUR SALARY

8. PART 2 – WHAT
STATE YOU LIVE IN

9. PART 3 – THE COST OF LIVING

10. EXIT TICKET
What kind of tax system does the United States use?
Explain the main differences between regressive and progressive
tax systems.
What do you think are the pros and cons of a regressive tax
system?