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How this is calculated. Today's figure uses current federal income tax brackets with the standard deduction and the child tax credit, plus the employee share of payroll tax (7.65% up to the Social Security wage base, 1.45% above it). The plan figure applies a 10% levy reduced for marriage and children, with a floor of 5% during the Social Security transition and 2.5% after. The marriage deduction is 2 points during the transition and 5 points after it — at 5 points during the transition a married filer would land on the 5% floor before any child counted, which would make the child deductions worthless. Each child is 1 point, up to four, and only married filers receive them. The civic buy-down costs 0.05% of net worth per point to the Central Political Pot, or 0.075% to a qualifying charity — a dollar to the Pot buys 1.5× the rate reduction, because the Pot is what funds elections under this plan. Neither can take you below the floor, and neither goes to the Treasury. Because a point costs a share of net worth and saves a share of income, buying down pays for itself whenever your income exceeds 5% of your net worth (Pot) or 7.5% (charity) — thresholds the median household, with $70,300 of income against $192,900 of net worth, clears several times over. State taxes are excluded from both sides. This assumes wage income; the plan's base is broader, and anyone with substantial investment income would see a larger difference. Figures are approximate and meant for comparison, not for filing.