In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal tax rate of 3.5% • Hacker News Board

Re: In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal tax rate of 3.5%

#21

Post by ecshafer » Thu, Feb 26, 2026, 3:54 PM UTC

tacticalturtle wrote: post #16

Unless he links directly to evidence that backs up what he says, I’ve learned to tune out Robert Reich. For a guy who is a Rhodes Scholar, a college professor, and a former Secretary of Labor he has a remarkable tendency to leave out qualifying context when making these statements. He’s smart enough to formulate arguments with the appropriate context and still make it accessible to the general public - but he consist…

Lies, damned lies and statistics. They are fudging statistics so they arent technically lying but leave out context and stretch definitions to make their point.

Re: In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal tax rate of 3.5%

#22

Post by tgv » Thu, Feb 26, 2026, 3:54 PM UTC

philipallstar wrote: post #6

> Trickle-down economics isn't just a hoax, it's corrosive to democracy. It's a hoax in that it's a straw man that no one advocates for.

You may read "supply-side economics" instead.

Re: In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal tax rate of 3.5%

#23

Post by hsuduebc2 » Thu, Feb 26, 2026, 3:55 PM UTC

yoyohello13 wrote: post #13

hsuduebc2 wrote: post #5

It’s starting to feel almost hilarious how much of comically evil villains they are. I picture them as Robbie Rotten from LazyTown. https://characterprofile.fandom.com/wiki/Robbie_Rotten

Maybe it’s just more visible now but it seems like these companies are really accelerating in their evil lately. Probably because they know this admin’s going to do jack shit to protect people. Would be funny if it wasn’t also so scary.

I have the same observation. Not really sure what is the driver.

Re: In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal tax rate of 3.5%

#24

Post by palmotea » Thu, Feb 26, 2026, 3:57 PM UTC

yoyohello13 wrote: post #17

pimlottc wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Don't be poor, got it.

Good life advice in general really.

Don't know why so many people are so stupid they don't follow such simple and sensible advice. /s

Re: In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal tax rate of 3.5%

#25

Post by youknownothing » Thu, Feb 26, 2026, 3:57 PM UTC

As someone who ran his own business for over eight years paying close to 30% tax (and is soon going to do it again), I have very mixed feelings about companies using tricks to reduce their tax burden. I mean, I like it when I do it, and I feel justified because there isn't that much that I can claim tax relief from, but seeing a big company paying such low tax rate feels wrong (even though it may be completely legal).

Having said that, there is something to be said of all the tax that is indirectly being generated by Meta: they pay high salaries, and the people receiving those high salaries will pay a significant amount of income tax. Same for all the dividends that they pay out. Maybe just being a big money-mover is their excuse?

Re: In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal tax rate of 3.5%

#26

Post by randomtoast » Thu, Feb 26, 2026, 3:57 PM UTC

1-6 wrote: post #19

I wonder if tax returns of corporations could be made public data.

It could but then it would show that the effective tax was not 30% but 3% and there is a strong lobby in Washington against that.

Re: In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal tax rate of 3.5%

#27

Post by butterbomb » Thu, Feb 26, 2026, 3:58 PM UTC

kelvinjps10 wrote: post #7

Being pro businesses, it's only available for big corporations because as a self-employed, it's close to 30%.

> it's only available for big corporations because as a self-employed, it's close to 30%.

Well maybe instead of complaining you should simply just generate more economic value. If Meta disappeared tomorrow it would hit the US economy, if you disappeared tomorrow it wouldn’t even be noticeable in the stock market.

Re: In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal tax rate of 3.5%

#28

Post by palmotea » Thu, Feb 26, 2026, 3:59 PM UTC

cl0ckt0wer wrote: post #11

individuals should be able to take advantage of the same tax rules as corporations.

> individuals should be able to take advantage of the same tax rules as corporations.

Nah, corporations should be taxed at the same rate as individuals. A country where everyone pays only 3% tax is going to be a crap hole.

Re: In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal tax rate of 3.5%

#29

Post by DauntingPear7 » Thu, Feb 26, 2026, 4:00 PM UTC

philipallstar wrote: post #6

> Trickle-down economics isn't just a hoax, it's corrosive to democracy. It's a hoax in that it's a straw man that no one advocates for.

The current admin sure does seem to push for it

Re: In 2025, Meta paid an effective federal tax rate of 3.5%

#30

Post by mindslight » Thu, Feb 26, 2026, 4:00 PM UTC

candiddevmike wrote: post #10

kelvinjps10 wrote: post #7

Being pro businesses, it's only available for big corporations because as a self-employed, it's close to 30%.

I'm SE and there are quite a few tax breaks available, especially if you structure as a S-Corp. The hard part is figuring out what all tax breaks are available as they're constantly changing, like last year you can deduct dental insurance premiums. I still pay an eye watering amount, and being SE shows you the brutality of the system (estimated taxes are insane, especially the payment schedule for them when you're NE…

> estimated taxes are insane, especially the payment schedule for them when you're NET 30/60

Total layman understanding here, but can you not do cash basis plus schedule AI?