Final answer:
In 2014, the middle-income quintile in the United States paid approximately 20% of all income and social insurance taxes, while the wealthiest quintile paid about 80%.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 2014, the middle-income quintile in the United States (20% of households) paid approximately 20% of all income and social insurance taxes paid. The wealthiest quintile paid about 80% of all income and social insurance taxes in 2014.
The U.S. income distribution by quintile shows how income inequality has increased in recent decades. From the late 1960s to the early 1980s, the top fifth of the income distribution typically received between about 43% to 44% of all income. This share then begins to rise, with much of the increase going to the top 5%.
According to the Census Bureau, people with higher incomes pay a higher average share of their income in federal income taxes. Data from household income tax returns in 2018 shows that the top 1% of households had an average income of $1,679,000 per year in pre-tax income and paid an average federal tax rate of 25.4%.