What Would Happen to Paychecks if Trump Eliminated the Federal Income Tax?

During his 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump floated a bold idea: eliminating the federal income tax and replacing that lost revenue with money generated from tariffs.

While the concept might sound appealing to many Americans—especially those tired of deductions from their paychecks—the reality of using tariffs to completely replace federal income tax remains uncertain. Still, if Trump succeeded, one immediate effect would be fatter paychecks for workers across the country.

GOBankingRates examined how this shift would impact the paychecks of lower-middle-class earners in each state. Here’s what those changes could look like:

Alabama

Median income: $55,135
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,681
Tax burden: 20.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,022
Revised tax burden: 4.7%

Alaska

Median income: $79,409
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,462
Tax burden: 19.4%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $3,054
Revised tax burden: 0.0%

Arizona

Median income: $68,330
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,111
Tax burden: 19.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,576
Revised tax burden: 2.0%

Arkansas

Median income: $52,242
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,611
Tax burden: 19.8%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $1,930
Revised tax burden: 4.0%

California

Median income: $85,630
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,472
Tax burden: 24.9%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $3,135
Revised tax burden: 4.8%

Colorado

Median income: $82,195
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,424
Tax burden: 23.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $3,048
Revised tax burden: 3.6%

Connecticut

Median income: $83,342
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,454
Tax burden: 23.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $3,091
Revised tax burden: 3.6%

Delaware

Median income: $73,648
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,167
Tax burden: 23.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,693
Revised tax burden: 4.9%

Florida

Median income: $63,743
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,039
Tax burden: 16.9%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,452
Revised tax burden: 0.0%

Georgia

Median income: $66,368
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,995
Tax burden: 21.9%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,438
Revised tax burden: 4.5%

Hawaii

Median income: $87,392
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,437
Tax burden: 27.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $3,120
Revised tax burden: 7.2%

Idaho

Median income: $66,343
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,003
Tax burden: 21.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,446
Revised tax burden: 4.1%

Illinois

Median income: $72,624
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,141
Tax burden: 23.4%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,655
Revised tax burden: 5.0%

Indiana

Median income: $62,267
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,926
Tax burden: 19.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,322
Revised tax burden: 3.1%

Iowa

Median income: $65,019
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,942
Tax burden: 22.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,370
Revised tax burden: 5.2%

Kansas

Median income: $64,568
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,945
Tax burden: 21.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,367
Revised tax burden: 4.7%

Kentucky

Median income: $55,481
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,710
Tax burden: 19.8%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,053
Revised tax burden: 3.8%

Louisiana

Median income: $53,353
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,660
Tax burden: 19.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $1,987
Revised tax burden: 3.2%

Maine

Median income: $63,798
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,922
Tax burden: 21.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,336
Revised tax burden: 4.8%

Maryland

Median income: $90,357
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,396
Tax burden: 25.2%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $3,317
Revised tax burden: 4.6%

Massachusetts

Median income: $90,080
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,373
Tax burden: 25.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $3,291
Revised tax burden: 5.0%

Michigan

Median income: $63,243
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,922
Tax burden: 21.0%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,329
Revised tax burden: 4.3%

Minnesota

Median income: $77,827
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,272
Tax burden: 24.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,846
Revised tax burden: 4.9%

Mississippi

Median income: $48,813
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,519
Tax burden: 19.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $1,811
Revised tax burden: 3.5%

Missouri

Median income: $61,262
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,890
Tax burden: 19.8%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,277
Revised tax burden: 3.4%

Montana

Median income: $62,152
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,897
Tax burden: 20.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,292
Revised tax burden: 4.1%

Nebraska

Median income: $66,653
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,011
Tax burden: 21.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,457
Revised tax burden: 4.2%

Nevada

Median income: $67,165
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,131
Tax burden: 17.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,583
Revised tax burden: 0.0%

New Hampshire

Median income: $85,002
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,614
Tax burden: 20.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $3,269
Revised tax burden: 0.0%

New Jersey

Median income: $89,822
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,400
Tax burden: 24.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $3,316
Revised tax burden: 4.0%

New Mexico

Median income: $55,222
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,717
Tax burden: 19.2%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,058
Revised tax burden: 3.1%

New York

Median income: $75,180
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,212
Tax burden: 23.5%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,756
Revised tax burden: 4.7%

North Carolina

Median income: $62,136
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,910
Tax burden: 20.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,304
Revised tax burden: 3.6%

North Dakota

Median income: $67,510
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,134
Tax burden: 17.8%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,590
Revised tax burden: 0.2%

Ohio

Median income: $61,937
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,952
Tax burden: 18.1%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,344
Revised tax burden: 1.6%

Oklahoma

Median income: $56,536
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,739
Tax burden: 20.0%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,090
Revised tax burden: 3.9%

Oregon

Median income: $71,489
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,028
Tax burden: 26.2%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,530
Revised tax burden: 8.0%

Pennsylvania

Median income: $67,627
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,064
Tax burden: 20.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,521
Revised tax burden: 3.1%

Rhode Island

Median income: $76,775
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,296
Tax burden: 22.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,857
Revised tax burden: 3.2%

South Carolina

Median income: $59,393
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,828
Tax burden: 20.0%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,201
Revised tax burden: 3.7%

South Dakota

Median income: $64,374
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,056
Tax burden: 17.0%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,476
Revised tax burden: 0.0%

Tennessee

Median income: $59,641
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,919
Tax burden: 16.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,294
Revised tax burden: 0.0%

Texas

Median income: $67,815
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,149
Tax burden: 17.6%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,608
Revised tax burden: 0.0%

Utah

Median income: $81,555
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,376
Tax burden: 24.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,992
Revised tax burden: 4.6%

Vermont

Median income: $69,354
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,089
Tax burden: 21.7%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,566
Revised tax burden: 3.8%

Virginia

Median income: $80,865
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,351
Tax burden: 24.4%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,959
Revised tax burden: 4.9%

Washington

Median income: $84,401
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,598
Tax burden: 20.0%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $3,246
Revised tax burden: 0.0%

West Virginia

Median income: $51,481
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $1,599
Tax burden: 19.3%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $1,912
Revised tax burden: 3.5%

Wisconsin

Median income: $67,262
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,039
Tax burden: 21.2%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,492
Revised tax burden: 3.7%

Wyoming

Median income: $66,502
Bi-weekly paycheck (with tax): $2,113
Tax burden: 17.4%
Bi-weekly paycheck (no tax): $2,558
Revised tax burden: 0.0%

This article has been carefully fact-checked by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and eliminate any misleading information. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity in our content.

Vikas Lalit

Vikas Lalit is an experienced content writer at OTE News, covering business, economy, and international affairs. With a degree in Journalism, he combines analytical thinking with engaging storytelling to deliver well-researched updates. Vikas is passionate about uncovering underreported stories that impact readers.

Outside of work, he enjoys playing chess, following cricket, and writing short stories. His commitment to integrity and in-depth analysis strengthens OTE News’ mission of providing trustworthy journalism.