Ryan paid higher federal tax rate than Romney

WASHINGTON -- When it comes to their federal taxes in the last two years, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has paid a lower federal tax rate than his running mate, Rep. Paul Ryan.

Ryan (R-Wis.) paid an effective federal tax rate of 15.9 percent in 2010 and 20 percent in 2011, according to tax returns released by the Romney campaign Friday evening.

In 2010, Ryan and his wife reported an adjusted gross income of just over $215,000. They paid more than $34,000 in federal taxes. They also paid $3,168 in employment taxes for a household worker.

In 2011, the couple reported an adjusted gross income of more than $323,000 and paid nearly $65,000 in federal taxes. In addition to Ryan's salary, the couple made more than $50,000 in investment income. They also made more than $116,000 in rental income, royalties and trust income. The couple owns rental property in Oklahoma, according to the return. Ryan reported $2,600 in charitable donations in 2010 and nearly $13,000 in donations in 2011.

Romney's tax returns have become a distraction for his campaign, with Democrats and even some fellow Republicans urging him to release more than two years of his returns.

Romney said Thursday he has paid at least 13 percent of his income in federal taxes in each of the past 10 years. But he has refused to release more of his returns. Romney paid about $3 million in federal income taxes in 2010 for an effective federal tax rate of 13.9 percent. For 2011, Romney's campaign estimates that he will pay about $3.2 million for an effective federal tax rate of 15.4 percent.

On average, middle-income families, those making from $50,000 to $75,000 a year, pay 12.8 percent of their income in federal taxes, according to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation. By comparison, Romney made about $21 million a year in 2010 and 2011.

President Barack Obama and his wife reported paying $162,074 in federal taxes last year on $789,674 in adjusted gross income, for an effective tax rate of 20.5 percent.