Table 20-1 shows the relationship between GNP and tax base for 1984 comparing line 19 with line l,we see that income actually subject to tax was only 46 percent of GNP for a tax which is meant to offer the most comprehensive measure of that perhaps half of the difference may be explained by appropriate adjustments
consider first lines l to 7 which show the movement from GNP to personal income Deduction of capital consumption allowances is clearly in order as the income concept underlying the income tax is to be on a net basis inclusion of transfer payments and goverment interest also correct since these add to the taxpayer’s capacity to pay the deduction of taxes however is questionable as we have noted in the preceding chapter
lines 8 to 12 show the adjustment of personal income as defined in the national income accounts to the concept of AGI as defined by the tax law national income data are used in making the adjustment we deduct transfer payments which are in personal income but mistakenly not in AGI we then add employee contributions to social security because these are included in AGI but not in personal in income we thus obtain a value of AGI as estimate from department of
TABLE 20-1
From GNP to income actually subject to tax 1984
Billions of dollars
1. GNP
2. Capital consumption allowance
3. Taxes
4. Government transfer payments
5. Government interest
6. Other net
7. Personal income
8. Transfer payments
9. Imputed income
10. Personal contribution to social insurance
11. Capital gains
12. AGI department of commerce base
13. Unexplained gap
14. AGI reported
15. Exemption
16. Standard deduction
17. Itemized deduction
18. Other
19. Taxable income
Includes excise and sales taxes property taxes corporation profits tax employer and employee social security contributions
Includes imputed income such as imputed rent and other labor income such as fringe benefits and employer contributions to pension plans covered by the department of commence concept of personal income but not counted as part of taxable wages
Sources for lines 1 to 10 see department of commerce survey of current business june 1985 pp 6-9 for lines 10 to 18 see u.s.tressury department in dividual tax returns satistics of income 1984 p 13 ff we list as standard deduction what in 1984 was referred to as the zero-bracket amount