The way the progressive tax rates work in the US, you truly have to get to a pretty high level of adjusted gross income to average 34%.  In 2011 the highest tax bracket was 35%, so you couldn&#x27;t even pay 34% until you earned $379,151 or more.<p>Given that you&#x27;d only pay 35% tax on the money earned above $379,151, so it&#x27;d take a pretty darned high income to bring your total tax rate up to 34%.