Wealthy Californians Keep Paying More in Taxes

business man waiting for train

 

The tax numbers are in for the state of California and all signs point to the wealthy paying more than their fair share. With tax day now behind us it’s a key time to take a closer look into the real numbers in the Golden state, especially since income taxes account for more than 65 percent of the state’s revenue in the current budget year.

According to the latest number from the Franchise Tax Board, almost 90 percent of that tax revenue comes from just 20 percent of the taxpayers; those who make $91,000 or more. Taxpayers in that income range are the only taxpayers who have seen an average income increase during the past two years.

Meantime, the top 1 percent of taxpayers, those with an adjusted gross income of at least $501,000 paid close to half – 45 percent – of all state income tax revenue. Taxpayers in this bracket reported an average AGI of $1.6 million in 2013, which is nearly double the amount of the average AGI in 1994. Meanwhile, all other income brackets have seen a decline in their average AGI.

So what does all this mean for the state budget? The governor’s spending plan now expects that income tax revenue will be higher than what lawmakers originally expected when they passed the budget last year. However, that is not due to overall income growth, but rather because they expect higher-income taxpayers to see their income increase even more, which means they will pay higher marginal tax rates.

Posted in
Learning to Lead by Example

Learning to Lead by Example

Learning to Lead by Example Each morning, the mirror reminds us of at least one person whose motives should meet all of our expectations. There is no limit to what an army of these individuals can accomplish. As you live your life if a way in which you are daily striving to reach your full…

America Taking Money From Its New Citizens?

America Taking Money From Its New Citizens?

America Taking Money From Its New Citizens? According to various government reports, there are literally trillions of dollars being hidden in offshore accounts by Americans who don’t want to pay their fair share of taxes. Of course, everyone should have to pay his or her fair share to Uncle Sam, but no one should be…

Where Can You Find the World’s Best Tax Havens?

Where Can You Find the World’s Best Tax Havens?

Where Can You Find the World’s Best Tax Havens? What’s your next vacation location: the Caribbean Tahiti, Bermuda, Belize, the Virgin Islands, or perhaps the Cayman Islands? These are all great choices and many of the world’s wealthiest individuals not only get to travel to these exotic locations on a regular basis, but many of…

Enjoy Them While They Last: End of Bush Tax Cuts Could Throw U.S. into Deeper Recession

Enjoy Them While They Last: End of Bush Tax Cuts Could Throw U.S. into Deeper Recession

Enjoy Them While They Last: End of Bush Tax Cuts Could Throw U.S. into  Deeper Recession A few Senate Democrats recently made noise over ending the Bush Tax Cuts in January 2011 given the country’s economic prospects. Although many people have predicted that the end of the Bush Tax Cuts is a foregone conclusion, a…