Does this count you?

The number of U.S. households that pay federal income taxes is rising, the Tax Policy Center says. The center credits a better economy and the expiration of some tax cuts.

About 57 percent of households will pay federal income taxes for 2013, it estimates. In 2009, that figure was 53 percent.

That doesn’t mean those who will pay no federal income tax are tax-free. “Even if they don’t pay federal income tax, Americans almost all pay Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes, state and local sales taxes, excise taxes, or some other levy,” the Tax Policy Center says.

Most Americans pay more in payroll taxes for Social Security and Medicare than they do in federal income tax, it says.

More Will Pay Federal Income Tax This Year | Money Talks News