It's important to first understand how much a common starting salary pays in taxes. But then where does it go?

Answer: Health (Health + Medicare) first at 29.8%, National Defense second at 17.8%, and Social Security third at 16.6%

Questions:

• Are you surprised by the top 3 categories the Federal government spends taxpayer money on? Explain.
• How would you adjust the spending allocation across these categories (if at all)? Why?
• What top three items do you think the government will spend tax dollars on in ten years? Why?

Click here for the ready-to-go slides for this Question of the Day that you can use in your classroom.

Behind the numbers (USA Spending):

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Taxes on the mind? Check out NGPF's Taxes blog which is full of ideas to engage your students!

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Want to attend NGPF Professional Developments and earn Academy Credits on your own time? Check out NGPF On-Demand modules!

About the Author

Mason Butts

After graduating from UCLA with a Master's in Education, Mason spent 5 years as a science educator in a South Los Angeles public high school. He is committed to supporting the holistic growth of all students and empowering them to live a life of relational, academic, and financial success. Now settled in the Bay Area, Mason enjoys facilitating professional developments and partnering with educators as they prepare students for a bright financial future. When Mason is not building curriculum or planning a training, he can be found cycling, trying new foods, and exploring the outdoors.