Figure H
Federal individual income tax rates for subgroups of the income distribution, 1970–2012
| Year | Top marginal income tax rate | Effective tax rate for incomes over $1 million | Effective tax rate for the top 400 tax returns | Average federal tax rate for the top 1 percent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 71.8% | |||
| 1971 | 70.0% | |||
| 1972 | 70.0% | |||
| 1973 | 70.0% | |||
| 1974 | 70.0% | |||
| 1975 | 70.0% | |||
| 1976 | 70.0% | |||
| 1977 | 70.0% | |||
| 1978 | 70.0% | |||
| 1979 | 70.0% | 35.1% | ||
| 1980 | 70.0% | 33.1% | ||
| 1981 | 69.1% | 30.4% | ||
| 1982 | 50.0% | 26.7% | ||
| 1983 | 50.0% | 26.7% | ||
| 1984 | 50.0% | 27.0% | ||
| 1985 | 50.0% | 26.1% | ||
| 1986 | 50.0% | 24.6% | ||
| 1987 | 38.5% | 30.3% | ||
| 1988 | 28.0% | 29% | ||
| 1989 | 28.0% | 28.3% | ||
| 1990 | 28.0% | 28.1% | ||
| 1991 | 31.0% | 29.1% | ||
| 1992 | 31.0% | 26.4% | 30% | |
| 1993 | 39.6% | 29.4% | 33.5% | |
| 1994 | 39.6% | 28.6% | 34.8% | |
| 1995 | 39.6% | 29.9% | 35.3% | |
| 1996 | 39.6% | 30.8% | 27.8% | 35.2% |
| 1997 | 39.6% | 28.8% | 24.2% | 34.1% |
| 1998 | 39.6% | 27.5% | 22.0% | 32.6% |
| 1999 | 39.6% | 27.9% | 22.2% | 32.8% |
| 2000 | 39.6% | 27.7% | 22.3% | 32.4% |
| 2001 | 39.1% | 28.3% | 22.9% | 32.1% |
| 2002 | 38.6% | 28.5% | 22.9% | 32% |
| 2003 | 35.0% | 24.8% | 19.5% | 30.4% |
| 2004 | 35.0% | 23.4% | 18.2% | 30.1% |
| 2005 | 35.0% | 23.0% | 18.2% | 30.4% |
| 2006 | 35.0% | 22.5% | 17.2% | 30% |
| 2007 | 35.0% | 22.1% | 16.6% | 28.3% |
| 2008 | 35.0% | 18.1% | 28.1% | |
| 2009 | 35.0% | 19.9% | 28.9% | |
| 2010 | 35.0% | |||
| 2011 | 35.0% | |||
| 2012 | 35.0% |
Source: Authors' analysis of Tax Policy Center Historical Individual Income Tax Parameters (2012), Sullivan (2013), Congressional Budget Office (2012), and IRS (2009)
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