Public assistance and interest payments Roughly 14 percent of the budget provides assistance to families and individuals in need.

progressive tax—A tax that takes a larger percentage of income from high-income groups than from low-income groups. proportional tax—A tax that takes the same percentage of income from all income groups. regressive tax—A tax that takes a larger percentage of income from low-income groups than from high-income groups.

What does the government buy? 19 % Social Security. 15 % Health. 14 % Income Security. 12 % National Defense. 12 % Medicare. 11 % Education, Training, Employment, and Social Services. 8 % Net Interest. 4 % Veterans Benefits and Services.

Individual income tax has remained the top source of income for the U.S. government since 2015.

These are Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Veterans Affairs benefits and services. They're called entitlements because the government takes money out of your paycheck to fund them, so you're entitled to these benefits once you meet certain conditions.

Federal government spending pays for everything from Social Security and Medicare to military equipment, highway maintenance, education, and more.

Everyone who earns a paycheck pays a federal income tax. Forty-three of the 50 states charge their citizens an income tax. The seven states that do not have a state income tax are Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. In 1691, England taxed the number of windows on a house.