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Part of the Series Income Tax Term GuideTypes of Income
Tax Types and Terms
A direct tax is a tax that a person or organization pays directly to the entity that imposed it. Examples include income tax, real property tax, personal property tax, and taxes on assets, all of which are paid by an individual taxpayer directly to the government.
Direct taxes in the United States are largely based on the ability-to-pay principle. This economic principle states that those who have more resources or earn a higher income should bear a greater tax burden. Some critics of progressive or ability to pay taxation see it as a disincentive for individuals to work hard and earn more money because the more a person makes, the more taxes they pay.
Direct taxes cannot be passed on to a different person or entity. The individual or organization upon which the tax is levied is responsible for paying it.
A direct tax is the opposite of an indirect tax, wherein the tax is levied on one entity, such as a seller, and paid by another—such as a sales tax paid by the buyer in a retail setting. Both kinds of taxes are important revenue sources for governments.
Examples of indirect taxes include excise duties on fuel, liquor, and cigarettes as well as a value-added tax (VAT), also referred to as a consumption tax.
The modern distinction between direct taxes and indirect taxes came about with the ratification of the 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1913. Before the 16th Amendment, tax law in the United States was written so that direct taxes had to be directly apportioned to a state's population. A state with a population that was 75% of the size of another state's, for example, would only be required to pay direct taxes equal to 75% of the larger state's tax bill.
This antiquated verbiage created a situation in which the federal government could not impose many direct taxes, such as a personal income tax, due to apportionment requirements. However, the advent of the 16th Amendment changed the tax code and allowed for the levying of numerous direct and indirect taxes.
Corporate taxes are a good example of direct taxes. If, for example, a manufacturing company reports $1 million in revenue, $500,000 in the cost of goods sold (COGS), and $100,000 in operating costs, its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) would be $400,000. If the company has no debt, depreciation, or amortization, and has a corporate tax rate of 21%, its direct tax would be $84,000 ($400,000 x 0.21 = $84,000).
An individual's federal income tax is another example of a direct tax. If a person makes $100,000 in a year, for example, and owes the government $20,000 in taxes, that $20,000 would be a direct tax.
There are a number of other direct taxes that are common in the United States, such as the property taxes that homeowners are required to pay. Those are typically collected by local governments and based on the assessed value of the property.
Other types of direct taxes in the U.S. and elsewhere include use taxes (such as vehicle licensing and registration fees), estate taxes, gift taxes, and so-called sin taxes on liquor and cigarettes, for example.
Direct taxes are taxes paid directly to the party that levied them, such as the IRS. Common examples include income, capital gains, or property tax that a taxpayer pays to the government.
Direct taxes cannot be shifted to another party and remain your responsibility to pay. Indirect taxes are the opposite. Whoever is liable for these taxes can pass on or shift them to another person or group.
Common examples of indirect taxes include sales tax, excise tax, value-added tax (VAT), and goods and services tax (GST). Often, businesses get individual consumers to foot the bill and cover these costs by charging higher prices.
