Opinion & Analysis
Mickelson’s tax math wasn’t so crazy after all
Auditing firm KPMG, one of Phil Mickelson’s primary sponsors, couldn’t have expected the golfer’s tax situation would make headlines during the 2013 golf season. However, for the second time this year, the share the second-ranked golfer is forking over to the government is in the news.
This time it isn’t Mickelson who has thrust his finances front and center, rather its the work of a variety of news outlets who have determined that Open Championship winner will be paying more than 60 percent of his winnings from that competition in taxes.
Mickelson’s tax situation first made headlines after the Humana Challenge earlier this year. Seemingly out of the blue, the golfer famously stated,
“If you add up all of the federal and you look at disibility and unemployment and the social security and the state, my tax rate is 62, 63 percent?”
Fallout from Mickelson’s bizarre non sequitur was as predictable as his series of apologies. In one camp, there were those who took Phil to task for discussing his finances publicly, believing that a man who plays golf for a living ought to stack his millions in silence. In the opposing camp, those who lauded Mickelson for shining a light on the tax situations of top golfers, who as ostensibly self-employed individuals, face a larger tax burden than many professional athletes.
The third popular response to Phil Mickelson’s claims that he pays more than 60 percent of his income in taxes went something like this: “How the heck is that possible?”
Well, it turns out it is possible, at least with respect to the golfer’s winnings in the UK: Lefty will be paying taxes in excess of 60 percent on his $1.43 million Open Championship winner’s check.
Of course, as the winner of the Scottish Open the week prior, he’s due to get hit hard on those earnings as well. Combined, Mickelson will forfeit about 61 percent on his earnings from the British and Scottish Opens, an estimated $2,167,500.
How is this possible?
Well, the United Kingdom has set Scotland’s tax rate at 45 percent above £150,000. Thus, Mickelson is due to pay £636,069 ($954,000, or 44.02 percent) on his Scottish winnings.
Additional federal taxes leveled by the U.S. government include a 2.9 percent self-employment tax and a 0.9 percent Medicare surtax.
Beyond this, as California does not have a foreign tax credit, he’s obligated to fork over 13.3 percent to his home state.
Mickelson’s math, with respect to his earnings within the U.S. was a bit off, to be sure. According to CNN Money, it’s unlikely the left-hander pays much more than 50 percent in taxes, which still means Uncle Sam is eating a sizable piece of Mickelsonian pie. However, Mickelson’s “pie” last year was nearly $50 million, according to Forbes, so Amy won’t be serving Ramen at the at their Rancho Santa Fe residence any time soon.
Whether this is fundamentally just is a question that is likely split along party lines here in the states. Regardless of whether you feel the government (governments, in this case) should keep its hands out of Mickelson’s trouser pockets and applaud him for speaking out, or think that he should be happy with the millions he takes home every year for playing a game, it’s shocking (I think) to see the following breakdown:
Of the $2,167,500 Mickelson earned on his sojurn across the pond, after taxes and expenses, the golfer will take home only about $650,000.
Of course, he took home the claret jug, too.
Opinion & Analysis
Brandel Chamblee PGA Championship Q&A: Rose’s huge McLaren risk, distracted LIV pros and why Aronimink suits the bombers
PGA Championship week is here, and Brandel Chamblee did not hold back in our latest discussion ahead of the season’s second major.
In our 2026 PGA Championship Q&A, golf’s leading analyst made the case that PIF pulling LIV’s funding has left its players competing in a state of confusion, called Justin Rose’s mid-season equipment switch a huge risk at 45, and explained why Aronimink will be a bombers’ delight this week.
Check out the full Q&A below.
Gianni: With the PIF confirming that they’re pulling funding from LIV at the end of the season, what impact do you expect that to have on the LIV players competing at the PGA Championship?
Brandel: I would imagine that they have all been thrown into a state of confusion, and will be distracted, not knowing where they are going to play next year and not knowing exactly their road back to either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour. Or in Rahm’s case, being tied to a sinking ship for the next few years, likely playing for pennies on the dollar in events that no one cares about or watches.
I doubt this would put him in the best frame of mind to compete at his highest level. Keeping in mind, however, that majors are the only time that LIV disciples get to play in events that matter, so never disregard the motivation they have to prove to the world they are still relevant.
Gianni: Justin Rose switched to McLaren Golf equipment mid-season while playing some of the best golf of his career. What do you make of the change?
Brandel: I don’t really know what to make of Rose switching equipment. It seems a huge risk on his part, even though it is likely, in my opinion, that the clubs he’s playing are similar, if not the exact grinds, to what he was playing previously, with a McLaren stamp on them.
Having said that, at best, it is a distraction when he seemed to be as dialed in with his game as any 45-year-old could be and trending in the majors to perhaps do something that would definitely put him in the Hall of Fame. At worst, given the possibility that these clubs aren’t just duplicates of his old set stamped with McLaren on them, he’s made an equipment change that would take time, and 45-year-old athletes don’t have the time to do such things.
Gianni: Aronimink has only hosted a handful of professional events since it hosted the 1962 PGA Championship. What kind of test does it present, and does a course with less recent major championship history tend to level the playing field?
Brandel: Even though Aronimink has only hosted a handful of meaningful professional events, it has been fairly discerning in who can win there. When Keegan Bradley won the BMW Championship on the Donald Ross masterpiece in 2018, he was the 2nd best iron player on tour coming into that week. When Nick Watney won the AT&T at Aronimink in 2011, he was 2nd in strokes gained total coming into the week.
In 2020, Aronimink hosted the KPMG Championship, and Sei Young Kim won. On the LPGA that year, she was first in greens in regulation, putts per green in regulation, and scoring average on the way to being the LPGA player of the year. And then there is the 1962 PGA Championship won by Gary Player, who eventually became just one of a few players to win the career grand slam on the way to winning 9 majors. It is a formidable test, and if it’s not softened by rain, it will bring out the best in the upper echelons of the game.
Gianni: Is there a specific hole at Aronimink that you think will do the most to decide the winner?
Brandel: The hardest hole at Aronimink in each of the three tour events that have been played there since 2010 has been the long par-3 8th hole, with the par-4 10th being the second hardest, so most of the carnage will happen around the turn, but with the par-5 16th offering opportunities for bold plays and the tough closing holes at 17 and 18, the finish is likely to be frenetic.
Gianni: The PGA Championship has always sat in the shadow of the other majors. What does the ideal PGA Championship look like in your eyes, and what would it take for it to carve out its own identity?
Brandel: The PGA Championship, to whatever degree it suffers from the comparison to the other three majors, is still counted just as much when adding them up at the end of one’s career. Almost 1/3 of Nicklaus’ major wins were the five PGA Championships he won. Walter Hagen won 11 majors, five of which were PGA Championships.
Tiger Woods twice in his career won back-to-back PGA Championships, and those four majors count just as much as the other 11 he won. The PGA may not have the prestige of the other three, but it carries the same weight. Having said that, I preferred the identity that it had as the last major of the year.
Gianni: You nailed your Masters picks. Rory won, Scottie finished solo second, and Morikawa surged to a tie for seventh. Who are your top 3 picks for the PGA Championship and why?
Brandel: I am not a huge fan of majors played on golf courses that have been shorn of most of the trees, although I understand some of the agronomic reasons for doing so and of course the ease with which it allows members to play after errant drives. However, at the highest level, it all but eliminates any strategy off the tee and turns professional golf into an even bigger slugfest. That means that it will likely be a bomber’s delight this week, but fortunately, Scottie Scheffler is long enough to play that game and straight enough to play it better than anyone else.
The major championships give us very few surprises anymore, going back to the beginning of 2012, so the last 57 majors played, the average world rank of the winners has been better than 15th in the world. So look at the highest ranked and longest drivers who are on form coming into the PGA Championship who also have great short games as the surrounds at Aronimink are very challenging. That’s Scottie Scheffler by a mile and then McIlroy and Cameron Young with a far bigger nod towards DeChambeau than I gave him at the Masters.
In this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, we dive into one of the most interesting flatstick releases of the year with a full review of the new TaylorMade SYSTM 2 putters. After spending time on the greens, I break down what makes this design stand out, where it performs, and why it has me completely torn between loving it and fighting it. If you are into feel, alignment, and consistency, this is one you will want to hear about.
We also take a look at some of the putters in play on the PGA Tour last week. From familiar favorites to a few surprising setups, there is always something to learn from what the best players in the world are rolling with under pressure.
To wrap things up, I walk through the process of building a set of JP Golf Prime irons paired with Baddazz Gold Series shafts. From component selection to performance goals, this is a deep dive into what goes into creating a unique custom set and why this combo has been so intriguing.
This year my 50th birthday. Gosh, where has the time gone?
As a teenager in rural Missouri, some of my junior high and high school years felt interminable. Graduation seemed light years away. But the older I get, the faster life seems to fly by.
I’m also increasingly aware of my mortality. My dad died recently. Earlier this year, a friend and fellow PGA of America professional and I were texting about our next catch-up. The next message I received was news of his unexpected passing at 48. Shortly after, a woman I dated in college succumbed to cancer at 51.
Certainly, one can share perspective at any age. Seniors help freshmen, veterans guide rookies. But reaching this milestone feels like as good a time as any to do one of those “what would I tell my younger self?” articles.
I’ve had a uniquely varied career in golf. I started as a 27-year-old, average-length-hitting, 14-handicap computer engineer and somehow managed to turn pro before running out of money, constantly bootstrapping my way forward. I’ve won qualifiers and set venue records in the World Long Drive Championships, finished fifth at the Speedgolf World Championships, coached all skill levels as a PGA of America professional, built industry-leading swing speed training programs for Swing Man Golf, helped advance the single-length iron market with Sterling Irons®, caddied on the PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions, and played about 300 courses across 32 countries.
It’s been a ride, and I’ve gone both deep and wide.
So while I can consult and advise from a lot of angles, let me keep it to a few things I’d tell the average golfer who wants to improve.
1. Think About What You Want
Everyone has their own reason for picking up a golf club.
Oddly, as a professional athlete, I’m not internally driven by competition. That can be challenging, as the industry currently prioritizes and incentivizes competition over the love of the game.
For me, I love walking and being outdoors. Nature helps balance my energy. I prefer courses that are integrated into the natural beauty of their surroundings. I’m comfortable practicing alone. I’m a deep thinker, and I genuinely enjoy investigating the game, using data and intuition to unearth unique, often innovative insights. I’m fortunate to be strong and athletic, so I appreciate the chance to engage with my abilities. Traveling feels adventurous. I could go on.
You don’t have to overthink it like I do. For you, it might be as simple as hitting balls to escape work, hanging out with friends, and playing loosely with the rules and the score.
The point is to give yourself permission to play for your own reasons, and let that be enough.
But if improvement is your goal, thinking about your destination—and when you want to get there—is important, because it dictates the steps you need to take. When I set out to go from a 14-handicap to the PGA TOUR as quickly as possible, the steps I needed were very different from those of a working golfer trying to break 90 in six months. That’s also different from someone who just wants a few peaceful hours outside each week, away from work or family.
None of these goals are better than the others, but each requires a different plan that you can work backward from.
2. There Are Lots of Things That Can Work
One of the challenges of golf is that, although there are rules for playing, there aren’t clear, industry-wide standards for how to best play the game. There’s a lot of gray area.
You might hear a top coach or trainer insist that a certain move is the best way to swing or train. Then you dig a bit deeper and, much to your confusion and frustration, another respected coach or trainer says something completely different. I don’t think anyone is trying to confuse you—at least I hope not. It’s just where the industry is right now.
You have to be careful with advice from tournament pros, too. They might be great at scoring, but they’re also human and sometimes just as susceptible as amateurs to believing things that don’t really move the needle. Tour players might describe what they feel, but that’s not always what they’re actually doing when assessed with technology.
I recently ran a test on my YouTube channel (which connects to my GolfWRX article “How to use your hands in the golf swing for power and accuracy”), and, interestingly, two of the most commonly taught hand actions produced the worst results in the test.
Coaches can certainly help. If you find someone you connect with to help navigate, that’s great. But there are many ways to get the ball in the hole. In the current landscape, you may need to seek multiple opinions, think critically, and use your own intuition to discern what seems true and whose advice resonates with you.
I’d recommend seeking someone who is open-minded and always learning, because things constantly change. Absolutes like “correct” or “proper” should raise a red flag. AI can be useful, but it tends to confidently repeat popular advice, so proceed with caution.
3. Get Custom Fit
If you’re serious about becoming a better player, getting custom fit is hugely important. There’s no sense fighting your equipment if you don’t have to. Most better players get fit these days and, if they don’t, they’re usually skilled enough to work around clubs that aren’t ideal.
If you plan to play for a long time, it’s worth spending a little more upfront to get something that truly fits you and your game, rather than continually buying and discarding equipment.
Equipment rules haven’t really changed significantly since the early 2000s. To stay in business, manufacturers keep pushing those limits. If you pull a bunch of clubs and balls off the rack and test them, you’ll find differences. I’ve tested two new drivers and seen a 30-yard total distance gap. Usually, the issue isn’t bad equipment; it’s that the combination of components simply isn’t the best fit.
It’s like wearing a new pair of floppy clown shoes. Sure, they’re shoes—but you won’t sprint your best in them compared to track shoes that fit perfectly.
Be wary of what’s called custom fitting, too. Sometimes the term is used as a marketing strategy rather than an actual fitting. In some retail settings, fitters may be incentivized to steer you toward higher-priced components. That doesn’t automatically mean it’s not the best fit, but you should be aware of potential biases.
I learned a version of this lesson outside of golf. Years ago, I bought a tennis racquet at a big box store from a seemingly knowledgeable employee who thought it would suit me best. The racquet gave me tennis elbow, and I spent months recovering with rest and acupuncture. The next season, I invested more time and money to find what actually fit me, and I walked away with something amazing that I still play with years later.
So if you’re going to get fit, be smart about it.
Find someone you believe has deep knowledge—possibly with certifications, but not necessarily. Make sure there’s a wide inventory across many brands. Check recent reviews for the individual fitter if possible. Make sure you trust that the fitter has your best interests at heart. If they’re wearing a hat or shirt with a specific brand’s logo, proceed with caution. Unless you specifically want a certain brand or look, be wary of upsells, especially if two options perform nearly the same.
Also, while golf is called a sport of integrity, there’s a thread of manipulation in the industry. I once drafted an equipment article for an industry magazine, structured just like one of their previous popular stories, with matching word count and great photos. The assistant editor loved it; it was useful to readers and required little work on his part. But the editor-in-chief nixed the story. When I asked why, I was told it was because I wasn’t an advertiser. It turned out the article I’d modeled mine after was a paid ad cleverly disguised as editorial content.
I really dislike games, clickbait, and fear-based manipulation. I hope this changes, but golfers deserve to know it exists.
4. Distance and Strategy Matter
There’s a real relationship between how far you hit the ball and your scoring average, even at the PGA TOUR level.
I experienced this early in my pro career. I started as a power hitter, swinging in the high 120s and breaking 200 mph ball speed with a stock driver.
Back then, some instructors advised swinging at 80%, so I tried slowing down for more accuracy. That worked fine on shorter, tighter courses. But on longer setups, I was coming into greens with too much club, and par 5s stopped being
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naflack
Jul 27, 2013 at 1:43 am
i like phil, always have and i dont take issue with the fact that he is rich. my issue isnt with phil at all, it is more with so many who want to speak on behalf of the wealthy and the middle class, conveniantly putting both into neat little boxes i.e. rich guy = works hard and is a great american, middle class = dumb and lazy parasite.
working 2 jobs that equal 60 hours a week is working hard just the same as phil beating balls for hours in 95 degree heat. one is a fine upstanding citizen and the other has made poor choices in life or they would also be rich. unfortunately if this were true there would be no one to deliver your pizza or change your oil cause they too would be wealthy and wouldnt need to toil in unskilled labor.
again, the issue isnt the opinions on taxation, i tend to agree that the typical wage earner actually does get hosed in the grand scheme of things. the issue is the typical mindset that suggests if im not rich im a lazy parasite who wants to ride someone elses coat tails.
Conservative
Jul 26, 2013 at 11:41 pm
I can literally read these responses and tell exactly which way each person voted in the last election…
As for the article, I believe he was reflecting on what Phil said earlier in the year and drawing a parallel to the astronomical amount he was taxed this past week. He never said he agreed with it or not. It makes for an interesting article.
I agree nobody wants to hear Phil talk about how much he has been taxed and we obviously have a lot of people who think he has been taxed what he says and plenty who think it is ridiculous that he could be taxed that much. He really is the only one who knows besides the government. Phil is a pretty smart guy and I have not seen him make many remarks without being very calculated in what he says. You can throw numbers around all you want and make an outcome that suits your belief, but the bottom line is that he owns a business and I am pretty sure he probably knows where a lot of his money goes. He has an American right by the tax code to write off travel and other business expenses. This is money spent on his business to keep it running. I do not understand the animosity that some of these progressives have for a man that works hard, pays what is required of him and does a lot for the community. I am not rich and Phil is not my favorite player, but I have to admit that I was happy when Phil stood up and said something. I don’t think he would have one problem with paying the amount that he does if he felt that government was spending one bit of it wisely.
When did it become bad to make a good living by working hard? Yes I know Phil plays golf, but you cannot deny he works hard. If you are on this website looking around and say to yourself, “I would not trade places with him, play pro golf, won big $ and lots of tournaments;” then you are a hater.
Determined
Jul 26, 2013 at 10:32 pm
Dbl e
You can dismiss the comparison between Phil and Detroit but the reason Detroit is Bankrupt is people like you that see and hate success?? Answer the question everyone in this great country ad the same opportunity as Phil and you find it fair to punish him with this success?? did they’re retake any of your grades and divide ??? You would not accept this but it’s OK for everyone else.
Dbl E
Jul 26, 2013 at 8:52 pm
Enough with Detroit. Comparing PM’s taxes and the bankruptcy of a metropolitan city is comparing apples and Detroit. My only point is that an über wealthy golfer, whose game I admire, has zero business complaining about getting taxed on the 2 million he made wacking a ball around when people are losing jobs and homes. As far as paying his team a percentage of his earnings lets not forget he is rich enough to afford a team, none of whom he is in any way obligated to employ except maybe his caddie. I’m not sure about that on tour. I don’t hate. He makes what he makes and I’m fine with it. Just don’t publically complain about the woes of being rich.
naflack
Jul 27, 2013 at 1:22 am
well said.
Jamie
Jul 26, 2013 at 7:48 pm
Someone else touched on it earlier. In addition to the gigantic tax burden, he’s paying Bones (likely 10% of the $2.2M), hi agent, a manager and probably countless other professionals he needs to keep the business running.
Dbl E
Jul 26, 2013 at 4:57 pm
Here is a point I think everyone should be mindful of; if there were a formula to rank the best teachers, policemen or women, etc. in the country, the best golfers would out-earn those significantly more important, more valuable pros by 100,000 country miles. Lets also not forget that he has a bed on his private jet, commutes to work via helicopter and has companies piling his driveway with free cars, clothes, Rolexes and amenities pretty much everyone else on the planet pays full freight for. And when he does pay, he ain’t paying 3900.00 a gallon for gas because he makes more money than us regulars paying 3.90 for unleaded. When it comes to the conversation regarding what a fair tax rate is, especially in this day, someone running a business trying to find a way to keep the five people on his payroll employed should always be the voice above the fold and not a golfer worth half a billion dollars. GOLFWRX is losing perspective by posting this insulting article. And let the author defend his stance, not his pal.
Determined
Jul 26, 2013 at 5:35 pm
DBL
Here is also the point you need to realize? If Phil plays terrible how much does he earn?? Did all those Teachers, fireman or women have the opportunity to earn a living at golf?? When you attended school did they ever take some of your grades and dived amount other people? Maybe they didn’t study that hard or maybe wasn’t as dedicated to the project but yet WE should award this behavior??? This attitude is why Detroit is bankrupt???
WOW why do you hate so bad
naflack
Jul 26, 2013 at 6:42 pm
I think the majority of us lecherous Americans would tend to agree with you but of course we are parasites in the eyes the wealthy, so who cares what we think anyway…right?
c
Jul 26, 2013 at 4:56 pm
Wouldn’t he have incorporated himself. That way he can pay a salary to his agent, sports psychologist, Bones, Butch Harmon, his wife, an assistant, etc out of his corporation. That would bring his total income down a bit but I guess his earnings out of the corporation would still be into the multi-millions per year.
Ryan
Jul 26, 2013 at 1:02 pm
I hate to rain on the authors parade here, but Phil’s statement was basically “taxes in the US are too high”. To say “Phil is right! Look, he was taxed at a ridiculous rate outside the US” really, really misses the point of his statement.
Zak Kozuchowski
Jul 26, 2013 at 1:17 pm
Nothing in the story suggests that Ben was taking Phil’s tax comments literally. How do I know? It’s in the story!
“Mickelson’s math, with respect to his earnings within the U.S. was a bit off, to be sure.”
I don’t see how people who have comprehended the story can say that Ben has “missed the point.” Clearly, he didn’t.
– Zak
Determined
Jul 26, 2013 at 9:57 am
Can someone say DETROIT…. It wont be long as if I would admit I’m a Democrat I would hide knowing what Democrats did to this great city. They followed the Democrat Model just like they are doing to Phil and America and amazing it didnt work????
Les
Jul 26, 2013 at 7:06 am
The author is absolutely wrong with regard to Phil’s stateside taxation.
39% for federal income tax
13% for state income tax
6.2-12.4% Social Security – I assume he’s self employed and pays both employer and employee rates
3.8% Medicare tax
God knows what else he pays for local wage taxes, property and school tax, sales tax, etc.
naflack
Jul 26, 2013 at 3:21 pm
Thank you!!
naflack
Jul 26, 2013 at 3:25 pm
Oops…replied to the wrong comment, please ignore 😉
Alüminyum Boru
Jul 26, 2013 at 3:08 am
good artical for me. thank you.
naflack
Jul 26, 2013 at 1:30 am
at least we were able to keep politics out of this for a little while…
cg
Jul 25, 2013 at 6:38 pm
remember, all the parasites need a host to feed off of…heaven forbid that they actually pay for their own food, rent, cellphone, school lunch, school breakfast, school supplies, bus fare, etc.
far better to let someone else do it…but be sure to vote for the poverty pimp who promises stuff if you keep him in office..
until you become DETROIT!!!
Cyd
Jul 27, 2013 at 8:59 am
Could not have said it better myself
W
Jul 25, 2013 at 4:33 pm
Yes we would all like to have his problem, but is 60% plus fair? The top 1% pay 35-40 of the 3 trillion collected annually by the US Government. I don’t have a problem paying taxes but a huge problem the way they spend them.
Small business owner
Dbl E
Jul 25, 2013 at 12:49 pm
That may be the tax on paper, but what’s the reality of someone in PM’s position regarding opportunities to shelter that money in a way 99% of us can’t? He’s not handing his W-4 over to Stan at H&R Block. I’m pretty sure what he says he pays and what his KPMG team actually pay are very different. And the fact remains, he plays golf for approx. 50 mil per. Anyone crying for him needs to get off his jock because he is spending exactly ZERO time worrying about your bank account.
jason
Jul 25, 2013 at 4:58 pm
Regarding opportunities to shelter they are few and far between for a wage earner, which Phil is. He can deduct travel costs probably, he doesnt get many of the normal deductions because he earns too much. He can max out retirement accounts tax free. But that is capped around 20k annually. Hardly a “shelter” when he just coughed up nearly 1.6 million in taxes for a 2.1 milion dollar win. I know it is a lot of money and he isnt suffering, but these same laws affect the guy bustin his tail every day doing a great job owning a small business who might make 275K one year and 75K the next, and paid 100k in taxes on his good year. Now stripped of hard earned cash he fires three employees and tries to make it work, with a high probablility the IRS will look at his 75K and call him a liar the next year and come after him. Investment earnings can be more easily sheltered. Wage earnings cannot.
naflack
Jul 25, 2013 at 12:13 pm
Considering his original comments were regarding his tax situation in the states, not abroad, this doesn’t do much to support his argument. As many people stated at the time of his original comments, he’s not paying anywhere near that, that’s the role of accountants and tax experts for the wealthy and you know he’ s taking advantage of their services. I get it, this wraps up his original comments with a pretty ribbon but none the less these are rare and very distinct circumstances which apply to exceedingly few. Plus he could always opt out of playing across the pond but i’m guessing he’ll figure out a way to be happy in spite of this very very unfortunate circumstance (insert eye roll).
Jeff
Jul 25, 2013 at 1:43 pm
his comments were regarding CA state tax, which went up before the year. If you read the article, you’ll see he’s paying 13.3% in california because there’s no foreign tax credit (which many states have). If there were a foreign tax credit, he might even get money back from CA…assuming he didn’t make anything else in the US (which he already did by finishing second at he US Open).
naflack
Jul 25, 2013 at 3:03 pm
I read the entire article and the article regarding his earlier comments on the matter…
Why should California give him a tax credit for taxes paid in another country, that isn’t California’s problem?
If another state in the union is willing to give people this form of tax credit then perhaps Phil should move there per his original statement. This isn’t any different than a poor person asking for a handout!
naflack
Jul 25, 2013 at 3:07 pm
Furthermore, if he doesn’t want to move he should lobby to have the tax code changed instead of publicly whining about a problem that every American would love to have.
Jason
Jul 26, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Why should California get money earned in another country?
There are alot of sides to this and unless this conversation is taking place between a bunch of tax experts then you probably have no clue what your talking about and you should be quiet.
naflack
Jul 26, 2013 at 6:35 pm
By that logic there shouldn’t be an article or any subsequent commentary from anyone outside the situation which I suspect includes you as well…good day.
jason
Jul 25, 2013 at 4:14 pm
This post shows the ignorance of the common american on taxes. Those who can use accountants are THE “wealthy” investors who have most of their income paid in dividends and as capitol gains, this can be hidden shifted and parlayed other ways. In short investment income is taxed differently. ANY wage earner salaried or otherwise (Rapper, Actor, Small business owner, professional athlete) will be subject to a tax on their income. It is generally inescapable (a few deductions here or there but not a significant amount). For Phil in the US it probably breaks down as such. US income tax 39% california tax 13.5% Social Security and other fees 5-7%. There is no magic for a wealthy wage earner. Phil really and truly does most likely pay around 60% here in the U.S in taxes. That is the truth of the matter, the fact that you make less, and want a slice of his pie doesnt make it any more morally correct that he pays his and millions others fair share.
naflack
Jul 26, 2013 at 1:27 am
i know people in high level finance positions and tax experts, i also know wealthy people who earn their money through investment as opposed to labor. you may be correct in that phil pays federal which most people dont but based on repeated conversations with these people i trust…i’ll stand by my comment, he is not paying 60% of his total income in tax. the things he could write off alone drops that amount, not to mention charitable donations.
who the hell said anything about wanting a slice of phils pie?
please speak for yourself.
8thehardway
Jul 25, 2013 at 11:09 am
“One for you, one, two for me.” I forget which comedy that line came from but am often reminded of the math.
zack
Jul 26, 2013 at 2:20 pm
was it parks and rec? ron swanson?
Kris
Jul 25, 2013 at 11:06 am
I thought we in Canada (as a socialist country) would be a lot higher taxed. But our top tax rates (depending on province) go between 39% (oil rich Alberta) to 50% (Nova Scotia for some reason). Mostly between 42 and 45. And to get over 35 in most places you have to earn 6 figures.
John
Jul 25, 2013 at 1:19 pm
See, the thing is, (we) Americans don’t really have all the freedom many think we have.
Big_5_Hole
Jul 25, 2013 at 11:03 am
“Of the $2,167,500 Mickelson earned on his sojurn across the pond, after taxes and expenses, the golfer will take home only about $650,000.”
That is obscene. No wonder the super-rich try and hide their money.