Suppose that in 2010, you made $200,000 and you lived in the United States. How much would you spend in taxes? ($57,595) How much of those taxes would go towards, for example, the interest on the national defense? ($16,830) USA Today has an interactive infographic showing where your taxes dollars go. Not only do they do this for 2010, but you can go back in time to see what your $200,000 salary would be worth in 1950. The answer is $22,255. From the article:
This tax calculator will give you a rough idea of your federal tax bill — and where your tax money went — from 1940 through 2010. Caveats: The calculator is for a taxpayer who files individually, uses the standard deduction instead of itemizing, and has one exemption. The calculator also figures your Social Security and Medicare taxes. We’ve adjusted all figures for inflation, using the consumer price index.
