Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


A GOOD TIME TO BE RICH….Here’s the latest 2006 income data for the Fortunate 400:

The nation’s top 400 taxpayers made more than $263 million on average in 2006, as the stock market was rallying, but paid income taxes at the lowest rate in the 15 years that the Internal Revenue Service has tracked such data, according to figures released Thursday.

….In constant dollars, the average income of the top 400 taxpayers nearly quadrupled from 1992….Meanwhile, the group’s average income tax rate [] fell to 17.2% in 2006 from 18.2% the prior year. That’s down from a high of 29.9% in 1995.

Just for the record, my federal income tax rate is higher than 17.2%. And yours, probably. So maybe the quarter billionaire crowd can afford a wee bit more too?

The truth needs defenders. Be one.

For 50 years, Mother Jones has been publishing investigative journalism that doesn’t hold back. We’re independent from corporations and uninfluenced by those in power. Our commitment is solely to the truth.

That’s only possible because of you.

Our nonprofit newsroom is funded by donors from every state in the union—blue, red, and purple, all part of a community of readers who care about the future of our democracy.

This week is our spring membership drive, and we need 1,000 new donations to fund the urgent investigations already in our pipeline. Be the reason these stories get told. Make a donation to fund independent journalism, and help us reach our goal this week.

The truth needs defenders. Be one.

For 50 years, Mother Jones has been publishing investigative journalism that doesn’t hold back. We’re independent from corporations and uninfluenced by those in power. Our commitment is solely to the truth.

That’s only possible because of you.

Our nonprofit newsroom is funded by donors from every state in the union—blue, red, and purple, all part of a community of readers who care about the future of our democracy.

This week is our spring membership drive, and we need 1,000 new donations to fund the urgent investigations already in our pipeline. Be the reason these stories get told. Make a donation to fund independent journalism, and help us reach our goal this week.

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate