We’ve already examined them in a pop culture showdown, but John McCain and Barack Obama are as different in political ideology as they are in style.

The respective Republican and Democratic presidential hopefuls have conflicting philosophies about U.S. tax policy - specifically, how to cut taxes, raise revenue needed for programs, spur growth and ensure fairness.

But all you probably care about is whether the candidates’ views impact your personal tax bill - be it for better or for worse.

Like most people, we’re not experts on economics, but we’ve made broad assumptions about the tax policies of Obama and McCain anyway:

John McCain: The average taxpayer in every income group would see a lower tax bill, but high-income taxpayers would benefit more than anyone.

Barack Obama: High-income taxpayers would pay more, while everyone else’s taxes would be reduced. Lower- and middle-income groups benefit most.

Are these assumptions on or off the mark?

A new report released on Wednesday by the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center in Washington, D.C., sheds some light on that question…

Basically, if you make between $66,000 and $227,000, or even $603,000, these tax cuts won’t impact you much. The differences are almost negligible.

Obviously, the people on the lower end of the spectrum could use that extra money, and it does make a difference. But for the most part, the middle- and upper-middle class remain largely unaffected, amazingly.

Whether these tax bracket shifts actually occur once either John McCain or Barack Obama occupies the Oval Office is a question for another day, as well.