BLS Spotlight on Statistics: New Estimates Of Personal Taxes in Consumer Expenditure Survey

Abstract

[Excerpt] The Consumer Expenditure Survey provides information on the buying habits of American consumers, their income, and personal taxes. In 2013, the survey improved its personal tax data, which consist mainly of income taxes. The survey previously asked respondents how much they paid in taxes. Now the survey estimates taxes from a program developed by the National Bureau of Economic Research. This Spotlight on Statistics looks at these new tax estimates.