Title: Tax Fairness Definition
Headings: Tax Fairness
Tax Fairness
What Is Tax Fairness?
Key Takeaways
Understanding Tax Fairness
The Individual's Right
The Common Good
Three Tax Concepts
Regressive Taxation
Progressive Taxation
Blended Taxation

Content: Advocates of a progressive tax say the richest can afford to pay more into a system that has benefitted them more. Taxation in the U.S. takes a blended approach. The income tax is progressive while the FICA tax is regressive. Generally, advocates of tax fairness believe that taxes should be based on a person's or company’s ability to pay but balanced by the needs of society as a whole for government services. Understanding Tax Fairness
Any notion of tax fairness attempts to strike a balance between what is fair to the individual and what is fair to society as a whole. The Individual's Right
A tax regime that emphasizes fairness to the individual will allow its citizens to keep most of the money they make or the wealth they own because it is, after all, their property. However, such a tax regime tends to have many exemptions for special cases, created in response to interest groups that make a case for special tax treatment. Theoretically, the most deserving individuals will pay the least tax, but there may not be a consensus on who are the most deserving. Some would cite the poorest and most disadvantaged. Others may point to the richest who are most able to benefit others by spending money and creating jobs.