'Absurd!': US Billionaires Pay Lower Tax Rate Than Working Class for First Time

jeffw@lemmy.world to politics @lemmy.world – 990 points –
'Absurd!': US Billionaires Pay Lower Tax Rate Than Working Class for First Time | Common Dreams
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Once it went to zero, it would have been a loss and canceled out?

Well if I had to pay unrealized gains I’d have zero but have to pay taxes on 20 million.

It’s why we don’t do it. It would be overly complicated.

No, you would pay taxes on the unrealized gains of your assets. So if your assets are worth 0, then you pay 0. If they are worth 20mil, then you pay taxes on 20mil.

Just a quick reminder, one of the main principles of capitalism is risk vs reward.

That’s my point. They were worth 20 million. Due to legal restrictions I couldn’t sell. As such I would have to pay taxes on 20 million. When I could sell they were worth zero.

So I would have ended up negative.

Sounds like that stock wasn't worth the risk then. That's capitalism in a nutshell brahski, people lose money betting on the market every day.

It was part of my compensation. It didn’t cost me anything.

It’s naive to think we will ever tax unearned income. Not only is it against the law, it would destroy everyone.