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.
Five Tips for Planning Your Taxes for Next year
Summer is almost here and that means people are getting ready to enjoy outdoor activities like BBQs & swimming and hiking & fishing. It’s also a great time to start thinking about your taxes for next year. What? It can’t really be time to do that, can it? Well, when it comes to tax planning,…
Simple Strategies for Avoiding an IRS Audit
Simple Strategies for Avoiding an IRS Audit sounds easy, but is it? Yes! Are you one of those individuals where the fear of an IRS audit keeps you awake at night? Well, you are not alone. It is one of life’s more complex fears. Never fun going into a room with someone that wants money…
Strategies for Representing Yourself in an IRS Audit
Strategies for Representing Yourself in an IRS Audit Have you been selected by the IRS for an audit? It’s OK. Relax; you can get through this. Although we advise you to never try to go through an audit by yourself, if you really like a challenge and would rather do it by yourself, there are…
U.S. Government Could Lose Billions Due to Fewer Audits
U.S. Government Could Lose Billions Due to Fewer Audits Taxpayers rejoice! There may actually be some good news about tax returns this year. The US Government could lose billions due to fewer audits. That’s because according to reports, due to reduced staff, the IRS may be forced to reduce the number of audits it would…
- « Previous
- 1
- …
- 471
- 472
- 473