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The public is giving too much value to the proposed Liberals’ tax break for the so-called middle class. At most it is worth $670 to an individual earning $89,401. And there’s the downside of increasing the rate on those earning more than $200,000 by 4 percentage points. Those extra percentage points will tip the scale over to a non-sustainable level as it increases the rate for many to over 50 per cent and can be as high as 58.75 per cent for those in New Brunswick.

The Liberal policy booklet entitled “Fairness for the Middle Class” shows that the tax break of a mere 1.5 per cent (as the marginal tax rate is going from 22 per cent to 20.5 per cent) only applies at the income level of $44,701 to $89,401.

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The tax rate will be increased from 29 per cent to 33 per cent on income above $200,000. However, the old rates remain intact for those earning $89,401 to $200,000.

The Liberals appear to be defining the middle class as individuals with incomes from $44,701 to $89,401. A married couple earning, say, $40,000 each get no benefit as they are not considered middle class under this Liberal Policy. On the other hand, if one spouse earned $80,000 and the other had no income, then they benefit by a tax reduction of $529.