Today (Tuesday, April 17) is tax day in the United States. As we file our income tax returns to the federal government amid Washington’s current debate over the Buffet Rule and what many Americans claim to be an unfair tax system, it’s important that we understand the intricacies associated with the rather confusing world of levies and taxes.  Last week CivicSource featured the Federal Taxpayer Receipt released by the White House. This receipt calculates how much you personally contributed to each category of federal spending for 2011 with your income tax. And while this is a great tool to view how your tax dollars are spent in government, it is also useful to know the source, purpose, distribution, history, and future of these dues. Derek Thompson from The Atlantic is using tax day to educate Americans on how we pay taxes using 11 charts. The charts represent the following questions:

Where Do Our Taxes Come From?

Where Do Our Taxes Go?

Who Pays Taxes?

Do the Rich Pay for Everything?

Who Pays No Income Taxes?

Do Americans Pay a lot of Taxes?

Are We Paying More Than We Used To?

How Has Tex Revenue Changed Over Time?

Why Is That Number so Steady?

What’s This I Hear About a ‘Fiscal Cliff’?

Where Do Our Tax Breaks Go?