Who did that
Barack Obama
President of the United States (2009–2017)
Photo: Pete Souza · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
“I think when you spread the wealth around, it's good for everybody.”
Rates last moved while in office
Rate changes dated while they held the office that keeps that tax — mayor for city, governor for Illinois, president for federal, Cook Board president for county. Dated while in office is not authorship: a governor who vetoed a hike that the legislature overrode still shows that date under their term. A bigger standard deduction is a tax cut. Renewed means a cut was made permanent.
Cut or renewed
| When | Tax | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jul 2011 | Federal unemployment tax (FUTA) | 0.8% to 0.6%FUTA 0.2% surtax expires: gross rate 6.2% → 6.0%…FUTA 0.2% surtax expires: gross rate 6.2% → 6.0%, so the net rate after the 5.4% state credit goes 0.8% → 0.6% (26 U.S.C. 3301). Source |
Raised or added
| When | Tax | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2013 | Additional Medicare tax | set at 0.9%New 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages and self-employment income above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint.New 0.9% Additional Medicare Tax on wages and self-employment income above $200,000 single / $250,000 joint (Affordable Care Act; IRS: in effect from 2013). Source |
| 1 Jan 2013 | Federal income-tax brackets | top rate 35% to 39.6%American Taxpayer Relief Act: a new 39.6% top bracket above the 35% that applied in 2011–2012.American Taxpayer Relief Act (signed 2 Jan 2013): a new 39.6% top bracket above the 35% that applied in 2011–2012 (IRS Rev. Proc. 2011-12 and 2013-15). Brackets in this app stay on 2026 rates; this row dates the policy. Source |
| 1 Jan 2013 | Net investment income tax | set at 3.8%New 3.8% Net Investment Income Tax (Affordable Care Act; IRS: effective 1 Jan 2013).Source |
| 1 Jan 2013 | Social Security (employee) | 4.2% to 6.2%Payroll-tax holiday ends: employee Social Security 4.2% → 6.2% of wages.Payroll-tax holiday ends: employee Social Security 4.2% → 6.2% of wages. The 2-point cut covered 2011 and 2012 only (SSA tax rate table, footnote c). Source |
| 1 Jan 2013 | Social Security (self-employment) | 10.4% to 12.4%Payroll-tax holiday ends: self-employment Social Security 10.4% → 12.4% (SSA tax rate table, footnote c).Source |
Rates still in force, last set while in office
These rates have not moved since they were set, so the ledger’s plate for each one names the officeholder on that date. Each line links to its official source.
| When | Tax | What happened |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Apr 2009 | Federal cigarette excise | set at $1.01 a packFederal cigarette tax 39¢ → $1.01 a pack ($19.50 → $50.33 per 1,000).Source |
| 1 Apr 2009 | Federal other-tobacco tax | set at $2.8311 a pound of pipe tobaccoFederal pipe, chewing and roll-your-own tobacco rates raised (pipe tobacco $1.0969 → $2.8311 a pound).Source |