What does "ability to pay" mean?

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

Ability to pay

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
An individual's level of wealth or income, as a measure of the tax rate they can afford to pay. attributive, often
"ability-to-pay taxation"

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