ability to pay

noun

An individual's level of wealth or income, as a measure of the tax rate they can afford to pay.

“ability-to-pay taxation”

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Meanings

nounability to pay (plural abilities to pay)

plural abilities to pay

  1. attributiveofteneconomicsAn individual's level of wealth or income, as a measure of the tax rate they can afford to pay.

    ability-to-pay taxation

    2 more examples

    an ability-to-pay approach

    Progressive taxes attempt to reduce the tax burden of people with a lower ability to pay.

Translations

Dutch draagkracht
  • draagkrachtmeasure of tax rate
Indonesian kemampuan membayar
  • kemampuan membayarmeasure of tax rate
Tagalog kakayahang makabayad
  • kakayahang makabayadmeasure of tax rate
Cite this entry
APA

ability to pay. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ability%20to%20pay

MLA

“ability to pay.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ability%20to%20pay. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ability to pay,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ability%20to%20pay.

Source: ability to pay on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.