Answer :
The top 1 percent of income earners paid an effective income tax rate of 20.4% in 2018. The exact percentage of federal income tax paid by the top 5 percent is not provided, but it is evident they carry a larger tax burden due to the progressive tax system.
The question asks about the proportion of federal income tax paid by the top 5 percent of all taxpayers in the United States in 2018. Based on the provided information and data from reputable sources, the progressive nature of the United States federal income tax system ensures that higher income earners pay a larger portion of income taxes. Specifically, in 2018, the top 1 percent of households, with an average income of $1,679,000, faced an average federal tax rate of 25.4% but paid an effective income tax rate of 20.4% due to various deductions and credits.
The text provided does not specify the exact percentage for the top 5 percent, but based on the progressive tax system and the figures for the top 1 percent, it's clear that the top income earners bear a significant portion of the income tax burden. However, it is not possible to conclusively answer the multiple-choice question without additional specific data for the top 5 percent.
