{"id":2709,"date":"2012-04-10T10:30:38","date_gmt":"2012-04-10T15:30:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/hungerrumblings\/?p=2709"},"modified":"2012-04-10T10:30:38","modified_gmt":"2012-04-10T15:30:38","slug":"happy-easter-season-happy-tax-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/worldhunger\/happy-easter-season-happy-tax-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Happy Easter Season! Happy Tax Season?"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s that time of year when we celebrate the risen Christ who calls us into the world in service! It\u2019s also the time of year when the April 15 deadline looms and many wonder, \u201cWhat do I owe this year?\u201d \u201cWill I get a return, and if so, how much?\u201d \u201cDid I complete all the right forms and attach all the right documents?\u201d<\/p>\n

Women Thrive<\/a> tweeted a very interesting whitehouse.gov<\/a> resource last week called, \u201cYour Federal Taxpayer Receipt<\/a>.\u201d This is a resource designed to help you understand how and where your tax dollars are being spent. Since you\u2019ve got your tax info handy, simply enter your social security tax, Medicare tax and income tax amounts to calculate your receipt. (If you don\u2019t have those handy, you can select a more generic income estimate, too.)<\/p>\n

As I always wonder when I share my numbers with you all in these handy tools, can you trace it back to me somehow? Well, throwing caution to the wind, I can tell you all that I paid about an 18 percent tax rate in 2011<\/strong> (My total income and payroll taxes on the calculator divided by my total income). Wowee. Let\u2019s learn more.<\/p>\n

Social Security and Medicare taxes make up about 20 percent of the taxes I paid, but the remainder of what you and I paid is on income, which go to a variety of services including:<\/p>\n