These Tax Breaks Are a Big Boost to the Wealthy

shutterstock_216949882

 

Even though the new presidential administration has already made several tax cut promises that would greatly benefit the wealthy, the fact is, high net worth individuals already benefit from several tax breaks that favor the rich. In fact, there are numerous ways that the wealthy can, and are already saving on their tax bill.

Let’s take a look at three of the most tax-friendly laws for high net worth earners currently in the tax code. The Social Security earnings cap is one way the wealthy save on taxes. Because the government caps this tax at $127,200, those who earn $128,000 and those who earn 12 million will pay the same Social Security tax rate. That is a huge savings for the nation’s highest earners, which amounts to $62,000 in savings on every million dollars earned above the cap.

Next up is the capital gains tax rate, which favors the country’s highest earners as well. Because this rate is much lower than the personal income tax rate and most middle-income workers don’t earn their money through capital gains the middle class often pay a higher tax rate than high net worth individuals that earn all their money through capital gains.

Lastly, the mortgage interest deduction also helps the wealthy save on their taxes. Although this tax break clearly helps anyone that carries a mortgage, the wealthy usually receive a much greater benefit because the amount they pay in mortgage interest is typically much higher. Therefore, they receive a much higher deduction amount. Plus, if you don’t have enough itemized deductions to exceed the standard deduction amount you won’t get to claim the mortgage deduction anyways.

https://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/02/25/3-tax-breaks-that-hugely-benefit-the-rich.aspx

Posted in

Why Is Almost Half the Country Paying no Federal Income Tax?

One of the biggest tax debates that will likely always exist is whether or not the nation’s wealthy are paying enough in taxes? It’s easy for some to argue that they don’t but there are many factors that must be considered. Plus, all the while, nearly half of the country’s would-be taxpayers don’t actually pay…

Where Is Your Paycheck Going?

While many of the nation’s high net-worth individuals make much of their income through capital gains, those who still collect a paycheck are doling out of cash to the IRS every time they get paid. The same is true for all taxpayers no matter what income level they fall in. In fact, according to a…

Should the IRS File Your Taxes for You?

Imagine a world where you didn’t have to file your own taxes. Of course, you can use an experienced and professional tax and accounting firm like GROCO to do your taxes for you, but what if you didn’t even have to send your tax return information to an accountant? Could that ever really happen? In…

Unstable Stock Market Could Hurt State Tax Budgets

While many feel the wealthy should be paying more in taxes, the efforts to enforce this strategy does have some consequences for state budgets. Many of the country’s wealthiest individuals hold the majority of their wealth in stocks. That means when the stock market goes down, so do the tax payments of the wealthy. In…