Wealthy Californians Keep Paying More in Taxes
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.
What’s the Hold Up On A $5.22 Million Tax Refund?
What would you do if you filed your tax return and it showed that you were owed a refund of $5.22 million dollars? However, despite the fact that your return was legitimate the IRS still hadn’t paid up. It’s not a very common scenario, but nevertheless that is exactly what is happening to one man…
Things to Consider for Your 2015 Capital Gains Tax
There are all kinds of investors in the world. Some are looking to make a quick buck by buying and then quickly selling stocks as soon as they increase in value. Other investors buy stocks with an eye toward the future, which means they are in it for the long haul. In any case, anyone…
Which Tax Law Is Really Hurting Silicon Valley?
Silicon Valley is known for a lot of things. Some of the world’s greatest technological advances and ideas have come from companies located in the Silicon Valley. Likewise, some of the world’s most innovative and largest companies were born in Silicon Valley and still call it home today. Many people have found great success and…
More Proof the Wealthy Are Paying More Taxes
Depending on whom you ask, the wealthiest Americans either don’t pay enough in taxes and should be forced to pay more, or they pay way too much already and should be given a break. As with most cases, there are three sides to every story: yours, mine, and the truth. According to the Tax Foundation,…