But they certainly get clever about techniques to keep it as low as possible, for shockingly low effective tax rates.
https://www.propublica.org/article/the-secret-irs-files-trov... has a whole bunch of examples.
The propublica number was like 4.5% or so if I recall, and does not count the taxes paid by the companies these people owned, nor does it imagine the financial benefits to say California teachers or firemen who co-own the companies through pension funds, nor does it reduce for effective wealth, nor does it reduce for unutilized wealth, e.g. if the stock price goes up and you don't sell or borrow against it, have you received benefit that makes sense to tax?
But if you net all those out and told me the effective rate was 12-15% on utilized capital, I wouldn't be surprised. I would be really surprised if it was $0 though.
Why should they? Should I get to count the taxes paid by my local water treatment plant workers because I shit in the toilet?
> nor does it imagine the financial benefits to say California teachers or firemen who co-own the companies through pension funds
They get taxed on that!
The funds don't get taxed on unrealized gains. Nor do the pensioners. They do get taxed on spendable income they get out of the fund's investments, just like the other owners of the company.
> [Should we look at the benefits to society of corporations paying taxes?]
I think so.
in other words, you are talking to someone in the stupid-wealthy class. you are not going to convince them of anything -- especially not that billionaires should pay more.
its like trying to convince Jon Moore (Phillip Morris USA CEO) that cigarettes should be banned.