$1,000

Leg 1

Leg 2

Leg 3

Leg 4

Summary

Tax calculator

See how much of your money actually survives taxation

Interactive tax breakdown

Federal · State · Hidden

Configure your scenario

$/yr

41.3%

Total tax rate

of 50 states

$41,261

Annual taxes

$1,000

of $1,000 remaining

LEG 1 — YOU EARN IT

$1,000 entering

Total cut

−$340

34.0% of $1,000

Remaining

$660

66.0% left

Federal Income Tax

17.1%

−$171

$829 left

California Income Tax

9.3%

−$93

$736 left

Social Security (FICA)

6.2%

−$62

$674 left

Medicare (FICA)

1.5%

−$15

$660 left

You haven’t bought a thing. Haven’t eaten. Haven’t driven anywhere. This is the cost of showing up.

LEG 2 — YOU LIVE

$660 entering

Total cut

−$51

5.1% of $1,000

Remaining

$609

60.9% left

Housing

1.2%

−$12

$648 left

Property tax (avg 1.1% of home value)Utility surcharges & franchise fees (10–15% of every bill)Sewer, water, trash levies

Getting Around

1.8%

−$18

$631 left

Gas tax: federal $0.18 + state avg $0.39 per gallonVehicle sales tax (paid once, felt forever)Registration, title, inspection fees+1 more

Everything You Buy

1.6%

−$16

$615 left

Sales tax: 8.7% on every purchase (California)Cell phone: ~22% of your bill is taxes & feesInternet: same telecom tax stack+2 more

Sin & Vice

0.6%

−$6

$609 left

Alcohol excise: $0.50–$3.00 per drink (federal + state)Tobacco: $1.01 federal + state avg $1.91 per packCannabis: 15–37% tax where legal+1 more

Every dollar you spent had a tax riding on it. None of them showed up on your paycheck. All of them showed up in the price.

LEG 3 — YOU SAVE IT

$609 entering

Total cut

−$9

0.9% of $1,000

Remaining

$599

59.9% left

Capital Gains Tax

15.0%

−$9

$599 left

You didn’t spend it. You saved it. It grew. They want a cut of the growth. For doing nothing.

LEG 4 — YOU DIE

$599 entering

Total cut

−$12

1.2% of $1,000

Remaining

$587

58.7% left

Estate / Inheritance Tax

2.0%

−$12

$587 left

You earned it. They taxed it. You spent it. They taxed it. You saved it. They taxed it. You died. They taxed it again.

Where Your $1,000 Went

Total taxed

−$413

41.3% of $1,000

You keep

$587

58.7% survived

Leg 1 — $34034.0%

Leg 2 — $515.1%

Leg 3 — $90.9%

Leg 4 — $121.2%

You keep — $58758.7%

Every dollar. Every leg. Every cut. This is what’s left.

The Verdict

$587 of $1,000 survived

After every federal, state, and hidden tax in California

$413

Total taxed

41.3%

$587

You keep

58.7%

State ranking

of 50 states

$41,261

Annual tax bill

on $100,000/yr

Leg 1

$340

34.0%

Leg 2

$51

5.1%

Leg 3

0.9%

Leg 4

$12

1.2%

Tax receipt

DEATHBYTAX

deathby.tax

SALARY$100,000/yr

STATECalifornia

TAXES DEDUCTED

Federal Income Tax-$171

California Income Tax-$93

Social Security (FICA)-$62

Medicare (FICA)-$15

Housing-$12

Getting Around-$18

Everything You Buy-$16

Sin & Vice-$6

Capital Gains Tax-$9

Estate / Inheritance Tax-$12

TOTAL TAKEN-$413

YOU KEEP$587

#6 OF 50 STATES · $100,000/YR

Rankings

#6

California ranks #6 of 50 states for total tax burden

Most Taxed

#1 NY42.7%

#2 HI42.4%

#3 NJ42.4%

#4 MN41.6%

#5 OR41.6%

Least Taxed

#46 AK32.2%

#47 WY32.6%

#48 SD32.7%

#49 NH32.8%

#50 FL32.8%

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See how much of your money actually survives taxation

$587 of $1,000 survived

#6

Share the truth.Spread the word.

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Spread the word.