Bush tax cuts 101: Who will get what if Obama deal passes?

The tax-cut accord is a broad package that, if approved by Congress, would include much more than just a two-year extension of the Bush tax cuts. Here's a look at who gets what.

High-income taxpayers

Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Sen. Mitch McConnell (R) speaks on Capitol Hill Dec. 4 after blocking a bid to exclude wealthy Americans from extended Bush tax rates.

The highest-earning households would get the biggest income-tax break of all groups from keeping the Bush rates. They also reap the benefits of the estate tax rate being cut to a 35 percent, with a higher amount of wealth exempt from the tax.

Households with annual incomes above $250,000 face higher tax rates than other Americans, with or without the Bush cuts. But extending the cuts would mean substantial tax savings. The average family earning more than $1 million, for example, would save $128,832 in 2011, according to a Tax Policy Center estimate.

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