Individual taxes are levied on an individual's or household's income to fund government operations.  The taxes are typically progressive which means that the rate at which an individuals income is taxed increases as the individual earns more income.   However, an individual has an absolute interest in paying the least tax possible.  Judge Learned Hand summarized the taxpayer's responsibility when he said "Anyone may so arrange his affairs that his taxes are as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which will best pay the Treasury; there is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes." Helvering v. Gregory, 69 F.2d 809, 810 (CA2 1934)