T. Woods

Sat, May 17, 2025, 4:08 AM11 min read

Throughout his 2024 presidential campaign, Donald Trump mused that he might abolish the federal income tax in the United States and replace that federal cash flow with income generated by tariffs.

While there could be a number of benefits for many Americans if federal income taxes ended, it remains to be seen whether Trump’s tariffs could be successful enough to facilitate such a radical change to America’s tax structure.

Check Out: Trump Wants To Eliminate Income Taxes — Here’s How Much Extra You’d Take Home If You Make $150K a Year

Also See: Mark Cuban Tells Americans To Stock Up on Consumables as Trump's Tariffs Hit -- Here's What To Buy

Still, if Trump were able to pull this off, one of the many changes Americans would experience would be higher paychecks. It’s an idea that GOBankingRates has explored regarding the paychecks of the upper-middle class, as well as the median paycheck in each and every state.

Here, GOBankingRates analyzes how paychecks for the lower-middle class would be impacted in each state if President Trump were to abolish the federal income tax.

• Median income: $55,135

• Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,681

  • Tax burden: 20.7%

• Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,022

  • Tax burden: 4.7%

Learn More: Mark Cuban Says Trump’s Tariffs Will Affect This Class of People the Most

Find Out: Trump Wants To Replace Income Taxes With Tariffs — 2 Impacts on the Middle Class

• Median income: $79,409

• Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,462

  • Tax burden: 19.4%

• Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,054

  • Tax burden: 0.0%

Also See: 4 Mistakes the Upper Middle Class Is Making With Money in the Trump Economy

• Median income: $68,330

• Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,111

  • Tax burden: 19.7%

• Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $2,576

  • Tax burden: 2.0%

• Median income: $52,242

• Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $1,611

  • Tax burden: 19.8%

• Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $1,930

  • Tax burden: 4.0%

• Median income: $85,630

• Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,472

  • Tax burden: 24.9%

• Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,135

  • Tax burden: 4.8%

• Median income: $82,195

• Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,424

  • Tax burden: 23.3%

• Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,048

  • Tax burden: 3.6%

• Median income: $83,342

• Average bi-weekly paycheck with federal income tax: $2,454

  • Tax burden: 23.5%

• Bi-weekly paycheck without federal income tax: $3,091

  • Tax burden: 3.6%