Graduated taxation, also known as progressive taxation, is a system that levies higher tax rates on individuals with higher incomes. There are several synonyms for this term, including progressive tax, income tax, and graded tax. A progressive tax system is designed to improve income distribution by ensuring that those who earn more contribute a higher percentage of their income towards taxes. Income tax refers to a direct tax imposed on the income earned by individuals. Graded tax is another term used for graduated taxation, which divides the tax system into different tax brackets, with each bracket having a different tax rate. Regardless of the terminology used, the aim is to ensure fairness in the tax system.