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Professor Ray Madoff on How to Tax the Rich

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Why do billionaires often pay lower tax rates than working Americans?
In this episode of the Sunlight Tax Podcast, I sit down with tax policy expert and professor, Ray Madoff, to explore how income, wealth, and inheritance are taxed in the United States, and why the current system often favors the ultra-wealthy.

We discuss wealth inequality, estate taxes, billionaire tax strategies, and the most promising proposals for tax reform. If you've ever wondered how the tax code shapes who builds wealth in America, this conversation offers a clear and accessible look at what a fairer tax system could look like.

Somebody who is self-employed and earned sixty thousand dollars will pay about thirteen thousand dollars in income taxes and payroll taxes.
— Professor Ray Madoff

Why do billionaires often pay lower tax rates than working Americans? In this episode of the Sunlight Tax Podcast, I sit down with tax policy expert and professor, Ray Madoff, to explore how income, wealth, and inheritance are taxed in the United States, and why the current system often favors the ultra-wealthy.

We discuss wealth inequality, estate taxes, billionaire tax strategies, and the most promising proposals for tax reform. If you've ever wondered how the tax code shapes who builds wealth in America, this conversation offers a clear and accessible look at what a fairer tax system could look like.

Let’s say that you’re Mark Zuckerberg. What he has is a growth in value of his stock. And even though that growth in value of his stock has made him very, very rich, it is not treated as taxable income.
— Professor Ray Madoff

Also mentioned in today’s episode:

02:30 Background on Professor Ray Madoff and her work

05:40 How the tax system favors the wealthy

07:19 The impact of growth in stock value and tax treatment

09:02 Living off wealth, not income

10:04 Inheritance, gifts, and the lack of taxation

12:15 The estate tax and loopholes

16:20 Public perception and fairness in the tax system

17:21 How the wealthy avoid taxes: borrowing against assets

23:02 Political feasibility of tax reforms

25:46 Wealth taxes and their challenges

29:56 Legal and constitutional issues with wealth taxes

31:46 Potential benefits of well-designed tax policies

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share it! Every review makes a difference by telling Apple or Spotify to show the Sunlight Tax podcast to new audiences.

About Professor Ray D. Madoff:

Ray D. Madoff is a professor at Boston College Law School and the cofounder and director of the Boston College Forum on Philanthropy and the Public Good. She is the author of Immortality and the Law: The Rising Power of the American Dead and lead author of The Practical Guide to Estate Planning. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal,  The Washington Post, and The New York Review of Books, among other outlets.

Episode Links:

Professor Ray Madoff’s Book: The Second Estate: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy

My FAQ page on how to Tax the Rich

Get my Tax Help on Substack

Get your FREE visual guide to tax deductions

Order my book: Taxes for Humans: Simplify Your Taxes and Change the World When You’re Self-Employed

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Sales Tax vs. Income Tax

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Today, I’m diving into the topic of Sales Tax vs. Income Tax and emphasizing why it’s so important for you to know the difference. 

Join me in this episode, to learn more about the differences between sales tax and income tax and how it can affect you as an entrepreneur.  

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Today, I’m diving into the topic of Sales Tax vs. Income Tax and emphasizing why it’s so important for you to know the difference. 

 

Join me in this episode, to learn more about the differences between sales tax and income tax and how it can affect you as an entrepreneur.  

 

Also mentioned in today’s episode: 

  • The main differences between sales tax and income tax 11:13

  • Registration and filing requirements 13:49

  • Sales tax filing process 16:00

 

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share it! 

Links:

The WNC Strong: Rebuilding Together Grant for grant aid to help local Businesses survive and rebuild: https://www.mountainbizworks.org/helene/donate

For Sunlight Tax Mutual Aid donations. I will donate 100% of these funds directly to people in need.

Emergency Relief Fund Grants for Artists

Join my Program: https://www.sunlighttax.com/moneybootcampimpact

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What Counts As Taxable Income?

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What Counts As Taxable Income?

It’s easy to get confused when it comes to figuring out what you need to report as income on your tax return. 

Today, I’m going over some of the most common ways to receive money as an entrepreneur and talking about what actually counts as income in your business so you can be prepared for your taxes. 

Join me in this episode to learn more about determining your total income and how you can make sure you report it correctly to the IRS.

LISTEN & SUBSCRIBE HERE

It’s easy to get confused when it comes to figuring out what you need to report as income on your tax return. 

Today, I’m going over some of the most common ways to receive money as an entrepreneur and talking about what actually counts as income in your business so you can be prepared for your taxes. 

Join me in this episode to learn more about determining your total income and how you can make sure you report it correctly to the IRS.

Also mentioned in today’s episode: 

  • How to know when something is income and when it’s not 9:54

  • What is the function of the people you serve? 12:16

  • Should you itemize your tax return? 13:55

If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share it! 

Links:

Sign up for Money Bootcamp:

https://www.sunlighttax.com/moneybootcamp2023

 Get your FREE Deductions Guide

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