As governments in industrialized countries are still dealing with the consequences of the financial crisis it is not surprising that the individual income tax burden has risen according to the latest survey. As outlined in the publication Taxing Wages, the personal income tax increased in 25 the 34 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries during the past three years. Many countries have been looking to raise more revenue from income tax as well as value added tax (VAT) and tax burdens have therefore increased in most industrialized countries.
The publication reveals that the average tax burden on employment incomes in the countries belonging to the OECD increased to 35.9 percent in 2013. The personal income tax burden went up in 21 out of 34 countries, decreased in 12 countries and stayed the same in one country. The increase in 2013 followed on the heels of a large increase in 2011 and a less steep rise in 2012.
