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Netflix Made Record Profits in 2020, Paid a Tax Rate of Less Than 1 Percent

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Re: Netflix Made Record Profits in 2020, Paid a Tax Rate of Less Than 1 Percent

#11
> Among the mechanisms Netflix is using to achieve its next-to-nothing tax liability are accelerated depreciation (which appears to have cut the company’s tax expense by $148 million); deductions for stock options for Netflix executives and other employees ($339 million); and research and development tax credits ($113 million).

These are straightforward deductions.

Re: Netflix Made Record Profits in 2020, Paid a Tax Rate of Less Than 1 Percent

#12
This is crazy how economy is tilted in favour of these big corporations. If you are a worker, it is not uncommon to pay over 40% of tax and if you work on your own small business you can pay even more and have very little left to reinvest. Then you have progressive tax that is preventing you from saving much - if you want to save for a deposit to buy a house, spend time on education and getting a better job, you'll get hit by much higher tax and it will take ages to save anything. Such taxes are often sold to the public as taxes on the rich, but rich people can easily afford ways around it. I'll vote for any party that will reshuffle the tax system, so that big corporations will have to pay tax just as any other business and tax progression will be removed, so that people will have a chance of levelling up. They should also add a tax on spending money with offshore cards, dividends and so on so that the rich will pay what they are supposed to pay.

Re: Netflix Made Record Profits in 2020, Paid a Tax Rate of Less Than 1 Percent

#13

After a decade or two of these stories it’s clear this won’t change until someone offers a retail solution for everyday small businesses and individuals to enjoy the same level of “tAx PlAnNiNg.” It’s the only thing that will motivate the rest of the legislature to plug the holes.

[deleted]

Re: Netflix Made Record Profits in 2020, Paid a Tax Rate of Less Than 1 Percent

#14

> Among the mechanisms Netflix is using to achieve its next-to-nothing tax liability are accelerated depreciation (which appears to have cut the company’s tax expense by $148 million); deductions for stock options for Netflix executives and other employees ($339 million); and research and development tax credits ($113 million). These are straightforward deductions.

> and research and development tax credits ($113 million).

This is why you fill out your timesheets people!

Re: Netflix Made Record Profits in 2020, Paid a Tax Rate of Less Than 1 Percent

#15
It would be perfectly fine for corporations to pay comically low taxes--- IF they also had NO ability to fund large-scale lobbying operations and were not allowed to put unlimited amounts of money into political campaigns. That's NOT ever going to happen.

But now is the best time for the tax part to change. The economy has been floated by unprecedented government pay-outs, narrowly avoiding a deep depression that would have crushed even the most cash-flush corporations. If certain people have their way, the working class will foot the bill for this for decades to come. Maybe it's time for those who thrived through this to pay their share just like in the post-WWII era where max tax rates reached 80+% up until the early 60's?

Re: Netflix Made Record Profits in 2020, Paid a Tax Rate of Less Than 1 Percent

#16

Is that calculation really correct? Does it count tax for all the employees? Does it count all specialized tax for things like gas or VAT, for all the things Netflix buys in their operation? What about all the media that Netflix buys and produces? What about all the taxes levied there on salaries and other activities? The article also talks about "income" and not "revenue"...

They are selective in only direct taxes.

Re: Netflix Made Record Profits in 2020, Paid a Tax Rate of Less Than 1 Percent

#17

People love to vote for politicians who promise massive, but vague, tax credits for green energy, for worker education programs, for locating in "opportunity zones," for making capital investments, all kinds of stuff ... and then they love to be outraged when companies actually do those things and eliminate the majority of their tax bill.

Is your concern about the vagueness of the proposed plans or the outrage at tax bills?

Re: Netflix Made Record Profits in 2020, Paid a Tax Rate of Less Than 1 Percent

#18

After a decade or two of these stories it’s clear this won’t change until someone offers a retail solution for everyday small businesses and individuals to enjoy the same level of “tAx PlAnNiNg.” It’s the only thing that will motivate the rest of the legislature to plug the holes.

I don't approve of tax loopholes that large corporates abuse to pay an effective lower rate.

However, as an individual we can't change this. My (extremely cynical) advice is to hitch your wagon to theirs. Get some market exposure to these large companies and make their lobbying efforts work for you. It won't make society any more just, but at least you won't get left behind.

Re: Netflix Made Record Profits in 2020, Paid a Tax Rate of Less Than 1 Percent

#19

> Among the mechanisms Netflix is using to achieve its next-to-nothing tax liability are accelerated depreciation (which appears to have cut the company’s tax expense by $148 million); deductions for stock options for Netflix executives and other employees ($339 million); and research and development tax credits ($113 million). These are straightforward deductions.

It’s almost predictable which “hot takes” will get clicks/attention.
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