As American taxpayers kiss another April 15 tax deadline goodbye, they may want to consider where their tax dollars are actually going. While the numbers are debated by some, including The Heritage Foundation, the National Priorities Project (NPP), a non-profit research organization, examines just that.

The median income family in the United States paid $2,628 in federal income taxes in 2007. Here's how that money was spent, according to the NPP.

Military
Average Total: $1,105

That means 42.2 cents out of every federal income tax dollar went toward Military expenses. Current Military and war spending used 28.7 cents, interest on Military debt was 10 cents, and Veterans' benefits were 3.5 cents out of every federal income tax dollar.

Health
Average total: $581

That means 22.1 cents out of every federal income tax dollar went toward Health programs. Health ($458 billion) is the federal funds portion of all health spending by the federal government, including the federal funds spending on Medicare.

Interest on Non-Military Debt
Average total: $269

That means 10.2 cents out of every federal income tax dollar went toward interest on non-Military debt. The military share of the interest payment is based on the average historical share of national defense spending. Since interest payments are on the debt which has been accumulated over time, the allocation of shares between military and non-military spending takes this into account.

Anti-Poverty Programs
Average total: $228

That means 8.7 cents out of every federal income tax dollar went toward anti-poverty program costs. Anti-Poverty Programs ($179.4 billion) includes federal funds outlays on the sub-function areas food and nutrition assistance and other income security.

Education, Training, & Social Services
Average total: $115

That means 4.4 cents out of every federal income tax dollar went toward education, training, and social services costs. Education, Training and Social Services ($90.6 billion) includes all federal funds outlays on the function area of the same name.

Government & Law Enforcement
Average total: $102

That means 3.9 cents out of every federal income tax dollar went toward government and law enforcement costs.

Housing & Community Development
Average total: $88

That means 3.3 cents out of every federal income tax dollar went toward housing and community development costs. Housing and Community Development ($69.2 billion) includes all federal funds outlays defined by the federal government as housing assistance ($39.7 billion), and the function area of community and regional development ($29.5 billion).

Environment, Energy & Science
Average total: $69

That means 2.6 cents out of every federal income tax dollar went toward environment, energy, and science costs. Environment, Energy and Science ($54.6 billion) includes all spending on the government-defined function areas of natural resources and the environment ($29.9 billion), energy (-$860 million), and general science, space and technology ($25.6 billion).

Transportation, Commerce, & Agriculture
Average total: $40

That means 1.5 cents out of every federal income tax dollar went toward transportation, commerce and agriculture costs. Agriculture, Commerce and Transportation ($31.7 billion) includes federal funds outlays on three function areas: agriculture ($16.7 billion ), commerce and housing credit ($590 million) and transportation ($21.6 billion).


International Affairs
Average total: $27

That means one cent out of every federal income tax dollar went toward international affairs costs. International Affairs ($21.5 billion) includes the function area of international affairs except for international security assistance, Andean counterdrug programs and international narcotics control.