Pro Golfer: Why Work with a 63% Tax Rate ?

Discussion in 'Economics' started by bone, Jan 21, 2013.

  1. Maverick74

    Maverick74

    I could be wrong but they are two separate taxes I believe. I added the investment income tax which is in addition to the "earned income tax". In other words, the rate went up for both investment income and earned income. It's a form of double taxation and has been at the heart of many tax debates going back 30 years when they started taxing the same income twice.
     
    #11     Jan 21, 2013
  2. Yes they are two separate taxes but they don't tax the same income. The way you have it he would be paying 7.6% on his income for medicare, both wages and investments, when in fact he will be paying a max of 3.8% in each category.
     
    #12     Jan 21, 2013
  3. Maverick74

    Maverick74

    Well, usually when people mention double taxation they are referring to the fact that say a doctor makes 500k and gets taxed on that 500k as earned income and then uses that income to invest in stocks and creates a taxable capital gain. That income was taxed twice. First as earned income then a 2nd time around after he invested that income.

    If he has separate entities set up, it get's more complicated.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_taxation

    http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/double_taxation.asp#axzz2Iek5H55g

    http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-double-taxation.htm

    I have no idea of how Phil's personal assets are structured. But obviously that will have a substantial impact on his total tax liability.
     
    #13     Jan 21, 2013
  4. Bob111

    Bob111

    #14     Jan 21, 2013
  5. Pretty doubtful. I'm sure he pays less than the stated rate, but he gets hit on state taxes in every state he collects prize winnings (which is one of many reasons some top earners will skip the high tax states like Hawaii and California for tour events), amongst other states.
     
    #15     Jan 21, 2013
  6. Mav, i am perfectly aware of what double taxation means, but getting back to the subject are you still claiming that his marginal rate is 62.5%? Perhaps change the batteries on that calculator before replying :)
     
    #16     Jan 21, 2013
  7. Bob111

    Bob111

    +1
    what you can realistically write off by hitting one white ball?
     
    #17     Jan 21, 2013
  8. There is a very good reason just about every guy on the PGA Tour lives in either Texas or Florida. 20-30 years ago it wasn't uncommon for those guys to live in California, but I'm almost certain that there has only been a handful of guys that claim California for residency on their taxes. One of them was Fred Couples.
     
    #18     Jan 21, 2013
  9. I suppose he has some exorbitant travel costs (albeit with his own private jet and flight crew), lodging, caddie expenses, etc, etc...but even with some padded business expenses, the guy was raking in something in the vicinity of 60-70 million per year when you include all of his endorsement contracts, appearance fees and prize money.

    Compare that to a hedge fund manager who can use the existing loophole to earn that same amount and get taxed on a large percentage of it as capital gains vs. earned income.

    apple's and orange's really.
     
    #19     Jan 21, 2013
  10. Bob111

    Bob111

    i see. ty!
     
    #20     Jan 21, 2013