Huge Decisions Loom for Lawmakers on Obamacare Taxes
One of the biggest calling cards of the Republican Party for the last several years, including President Donald Trump, has been to repeal the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Although Obamacare has faced much opposition throughout its existence, recent polls suggest that most Americans don’t want it repealed, especially if there is nothing to replace it.
Still, republican lawmakers are undeterred in their efforts to scrap it. However, there are several significant taxes issues that must resolved, namely which taxes should they repeal. Make no mistake, republicans hate the Obamacare taxes, but some feel that they should keep them to help pay for their replacement plan. The taxes in question include:
- Net Investment Income Tax – this would automatically eliminate the 3.8 percent tax on capital gains.
- Health Insurance Tax – Health insurance providers are forced to pay this annual fee based on their market share.
- Medicare Surtax – This tax on the wealthy created an extra $7.3 billion for the government, so eliminating it would help anyone earning more than $200,000 (single filer) or $250,000 (joint filer) a year.
- Cadillac Tax – this is set to begin in 2020, but many lawmakers from bot sides oppose it, as it would be a huge tax on those with high-cost health plans, including many democratic-backed unions.
- Prescription Drug Tax – repealing this would help businesses that make or import branded prescription drugs and have to pay huge fees for doing so.
- Tanning Tax – this contributed to many tanning salons going out of business
- Medical Expenses Deduction Cap – this raised the threshold for deducting medical expenses from 7.5 percent to 10 percent.
- Flexible Spending & Health Savings Accounts – these placed lower limits on the amounts people can add to them and raised the penalties for using the money on anything other than medical expenses.
- Mandate Penalties – these are the penalties that people must pay if they choose not to have health insurance.
Each of these taxes could en up on the chopping block, but it remains to be seen which ones will be officially repealed and which ones will survive.
http://thehill.com/policy/finance/317880-gop-faces-big-decision-on-obamacare-taxes
Approaching “Star Trek”-Like Medical Technologies
Approaching “Star Trek”-Like Medical Technologies The world of technology is constantly evolving. In fact, new and emerging technologies have become a part of just about every industry in the business world. The medical world is no different and, in fact, many of the most amazing and groundbreaking technologies are created by and for the medical…
How to Efficiently Scale With Capital
The goal of most startup companies is to achieve growth and profitability. However, the process of achieving those goals can be different for every company. The key to long-term success for most startups is to scale with efficiency, but that is not always easy. I recently read an interview by Alan Olsen, CPA and…
How Will the New President Change Taxes for the Wealthy?
So which side are you on? Trump, Cruz, Clinton, Sanders, a write-in candidate, or are you still hoping for an optional third-party independent candidate? The fact is, when it comes to taxes, no matter which candidate you vote for, things will likely be changing for the nation’s wealthiest taxpayers in 2017. Whether or not…
Top Tips to Remember When You Can’t Pay Business Taxes
Business taxes can be a nightmare for a lot of companies; especially small businesses that are trying to stay afloat. Things can get even tougher when it comes time to file your return and you end up on the wrong side of the ledger. So what should you do if you end up owing more…