Jesse Isinger

Well, I mean, me, non-tax reporter, non-tax expert, it was all extraordinarily revelatory. But even tax experts didn't understand this fully. So, you know, I think there's a general lay understanding that the wealthy avoid taxes. And that's the kind of eye roll thing that you would hear in a bar if you were talking about these stories with someone.

Well, I mean, me, non-tax reporter, non-tax expert, it was all extraordinarily revelatory. But even tax experts didn't understand this fully. So, you know, I think there's a general lay understanding that the wealthy avoid taxes. And that's the kind of eye roll thing that you would hear in a bar if you were talking about these stories with someone.

Well, I mean, me, non-tax reporter, non-tax expert, it was all extraordinarily revelatory. But even tax experts didn't understand this fully. So, you know, I think there's a general lay understanding that the wealthy avoid taxes. And that's the kind of eye roll thing that you would hear in a bar if you were talking about these stories with someone.

drinking next to you, but they didn't know that Jeff Bezos and Musk and Bloomberg and Carl Icahn and George Soros literally could pay zero in federal income tax in recent years. They didn't know that Jeff Bezos got a child tax credit because his income was so low. Experts understood that in the abstract, and no one understood it in the specific until we

drinking next to you, but they didn't know that Jeff Bezos and Musk and Bloomberg and Carl Icahn and George Soros literally could pay zero in federal income tax in recent years. They didn't know that Jeff Bezos got a child tax credit because his income was so low. Experts understood that in the abstract, and no one understood it in the specific until we

drinking next to you, but they didn't know that Jeff Bezos and Musk and Bloomberg and Carl Icahn and George Soros literally could pay zero in federal income tax in recent years. They didn't know that Jeff Bezos got a child tax credit because his income was so low. Experts understood that in the abstract, and no one understood it in the specific until we

proved it because we had the specific numbers and the names.

proved it because we had the specific numbers and the names.

proved it because we had the specific numbers and the names.

No. So what happens instead is he gets a small paycheck. You know, a lot of these guys get $1 salaries.

No. So what happens instead is he gets a small paycheck. You know, a lot of these guys get $1 salaries.

No. So what happens instead is he gets a small paycheck. You know, a lot of these guys get $1 salaries.

And, you know, Steve Jobs sort of popularized that. But the Google guys, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, they get $1. It's very popular. And if you got $1 divided by 52, you're not paying a lot in taxes. And so what's happening with those guys is they're not really getting that kind of weekly paycheck or they're getting very modest amounts of money.

And, you know, Steve Jobs sort of popularized that. But the Google guys, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, they get $1. It's very popular. And if you got $1 divided by 52, you're not paying a lot in taxes. And so what's happening with those guys is they're not really getting that kind of weekly paycheck or they're getting very modest amounts of money.

And, you know, Steve Jobs sort of popularized that. But the Google guys, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, they get $1. It's very popular. And if you got $1 divided by 52, you're not paying a lot in taxes. And so what's happening with those guys is they're not really getting that kind of weekly paycheck or they're getting very modest amounts of money.

There's nothing to tax in terms of wages. They're keeping their wages low. And the reason why you're keeping your wages low is that wages are relatively highly taxed. They're taxed at about 40%. The top marginal tax rate of 37% plus about 3% for payroll taxes. And so you don't want wages. It's stupid if you're a really wealthy person to get wages.

There's nothing to tax in terms of wages. They're keeping their wages low. And the reason why you're keeping your wages low is that wages are relatively highly taxed. They're taxed at about 40%. The top marginal tax rate of 37% plus about 3% for payroll taxes. And so you don't want wages. It's stupid if you're a really wealthy person to get wages.

There's nothing to tax in terms of wages. They're keeping their wages low. And the reason why you're keeping your wages low is that wages are relatively highly taxed. They're taxed at about 40%. The top marginal tax rate of 37% plus about 3% for payroll taxes. And so you don't want wages. It's stupid if you're a really wealthy person to get wages.

So instead what you're doing is you're getting money through gains on your assets.

So instead what you're doing is you're getting money through gains on your assets.