USAFacts presented by Steve Ballmer.
Just the Facts on taxes
USAFacts Founder Steve Ballmer is back with a new episode of Just the Facts! Americans file their taxes every year, but how exactly does the system work? Whether you’re curious about the tax debates currently going on in DC, how much corporations pay or why some people get refunds without owing anything, this video is here to answer your questions. Some top takeaways:
- In 2024, individual income taxes brought in $2.4 trillion, or 49% of all federal revenue, while payroll taxes accounted for another 35%. Corporate income taxes comprised 11% of the total.
- Payroll taxes, which totaled $1.7 trillion, are earmarked for Social Security and Medicare. Workers earning the median household income of $80,610 paid approximately $4,998 toward Social Security and $1,169 toward Medicare.
- Credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit can lead to a refund even if the filer doesn’t owe income tax. For instance, a single head of household with three children and $22,000 in income could owe no taxes but receive a refund of around $12,920.
- The top 3% of filers — about 4.7 million people — contributed 50% of federal income tax revenue.
- The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act set corporate tax rate at a flat 21%. Meanwhile, a 15% minimum tax introduced in 2022 ensured that profitable corporations pay at least some federal tax regardless of deductions or credits.
The latest data on fentanyl trafficking
Fentanyl is a potent synthetic opioid. It’s medically used as a pain reliever, but it’s also trafficked illegally. Fentanyl is roughly 50 times more potent than heroin. A dose of 2 milligrams — the size of 10 to 15 grains of table salt — can cause a fatal overdose in the average-sized American.
- In April 2025, officials seized about 760 pounds of fentanyl at US borders, down 1% from March.
- Between January and April 2025, authorities seized approximately 3,159 pounds of fentanyl at US borders. That is 48% less than had been seized by the same point in 2024.
- Most confiscated fentanyl (89%) is found and seized from vehicles driven by US citizens at official ports of entry, like seaports, airports, and border checkpoints.
- Fentanyl is primarily trafficked across the southwest border, with 84% of it passing through official southwest ports of entry and 10% seized elsewhere along the Southwest Border.
Data behind the news
The Trump administration canceled a contract with drugmaker Moderna to develop a bird flu vaccinefor humans. Learn more about the disease and animals that have been infected.
Last week, the US Court of International Trade blocked much of President Trump’s high tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and other nations. An appeals court soon issued a temporary pause allowing tariffs to stay in place. So here it is, once again: the facts on tariffs and how they work.
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One last fact
On average, police officers earn 10.8% more than high school teachers. In 2023, police and sheriff’s patrol officers earned a median salary of $72,280, while high school teachers earned $65,210.