Below is an example of what a receipt might look like for a typical taxpayer with a 2009 U.S. median income of $34,140, who paid $5,400 in federal income tax and FICA. It is very easy to generate and extremely informative to taxpayers.
What You Paid For
2009 tax receipt for a taxpayer earning $34,140 and paying
$5,400 in federal income tax and FICA (selected items)
| Social Security | $1,040.70 |
| Medicare | $625.51 |
| Medicaid | $385.28 |
| Interest on the National Debt | $287.03 |
| Combat Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan | $229.17 |
| Military Personnel | $192.79 |
| Veteran’s Benefits | $74.65 |
| Federal Highways | $63.89 |
| Health care research (NIH) | $46.54 |
| Foreign Aid | $46.08 |
| Education Funding for Low Income K-12 Students | $38.17 |
| Military Retirement Benefits | $32.60 |
| Pell Grants for Low Income College Students | $29.75 |
| NASA Space Program | $28.09 |
| Internal Revenue Service | $17.69 |
| Environmental Clean Up (EPA) | $11.67 |
| The FBI | $11.21 |
| Head Start | $10.91 |
| Public Housing | $10.50 |
| National Parks | $ 4.27 |
| Drug Enforcement Agency | $3.14 |
| Amtrak | $2.23 |
| Smithsonian Museum | $1.12 |
| Funding for the Arts | $0.24 |
| Salaries and benefits for members of Congress | $0.19 |
(source)