If you had to explain the concept of income tax brackets to someone who is unfamiliar with it, how would you do it in a way that's easy to understand? What example would you use?

Income tax brackets divide your income into segments that have different tax rates. You pay a lower rate on the first portion of your earnings and a higher rate on the next portion. The tax you pay on each part applies solely to that section of your income. Consider an example with two brackets. The first bracket taxes income up to $10,000 at 10 percent. The next bracket taxes income from $10,001 to $20,000 at 15 percent. An income of $15,000 pays 10 percent on $10,000 and 15 percent on the remaining $5,000.