I’m trying to argue that the USA should have higher taxes like in Finland, which is one of if not the happiest country on Earth, but I’m getting inconsistent results when asking about the tax brackets. For example, [this source](https://movingist.com/finland-tax-rate-vs-us/) and [this source](https://tradingeconomics.com/finland/personal-income-tax-rate) say the highest income tax bracket in Finland is over 50% while [this source](https://taxsummaries.pwc.com/finland/individual/taxes-on-personal-income) and [this source](https://www.orbitax.com/news/archive.php/Finland-Publishes-Individual-I-40272) says it is 31.25%. Can someone settle what exactly the income tax brackets are in Finland? Are they higher than in the USA? Can you also explain the sales tax or value added tax (VAT) if you have one?

3 comments

  1. It always helps to use official sources by the expert in the field. In this case, the authority that handles taxes in Finland. Vero.fi

    I am somewhat amused how your second source says

    >The Personal Income Tax Rate in Finland stands at 56.95 percent. source: Finnish Tax Administration

    without actually linking their source or naming the source or pointing to where the Finnish Tax administration supposedly says that the income tax rate is 56,95 %. They coul as well say “source: trust me bro, everybody knows it’s expensive in Finland”

  2. Tax rate is invidual, but you get some generalized idea from here: https://www.veronmaksajat.fi/luvut/Laskelmat/Palkansaajan-veroprosentit/

    In the table below graph, columns are: Yearly income, monthly income, tax percentage, marginal tax, income after taxes.

    Note however, that there are some other tax like “employer’s contributions”: https://www.yrittajat.fi/en/for-employers/employment/wages-and-benefits/employers-contributions-2022/ – so the cost of worker is higher than the gross salary.

    VAT (ALV in Finnish) is 24% for most products, 14% for eg food and 10% for eg medicine and culture related services and magazines. Many health, education, finance related services are VAT free.

  3. Happiness is a terrible criterion, to be honest, and using it is stupid. A druggie with a dose is supremely happy. It means absolutely nothing. The suggestion that USA should have similar orbitally high rates where the government takes HALF OF WHAT YOU MADE is criminally insane.

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