Risk & You 2011 - Special Report

CNBC Poll: What Will Happen to Income Taxes In 2012?

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Taxes, Investments, & You - A CNBC Special Report - Sponsored by Merrill Lynch

There's nothing like taxes to start an argument. Though virtually everyone thinks they are too high in general, there's little agreement on what's fair for one group versus another.

Tax the rich, spare the poor is one philosophy. A flat tax for one and all is another. Or how about the inequities of the Alternative Minimum Tax or the idea of higher corporate taxes to lessen the burden on individuals and families? Oh, and then there's a national sales tax?

Despite all the options and variations, it usually comes down to one thing — personal income taxes. After almost a decade of static tax rates, Washington most decade what do about them in the future, and there's plenty of disagreement about that.

Income tax rates for the top two brackets as well as those on capital gains and dividends for will rise unless new legislation is approved.

What's your hunch?