Name:	Casey -	Reply
Subject:	Amazon and taxes
Date:	3/21/2018 9:01:15 PM

Despite recording $5.6 billion in profits in 2017, Amazon paid zero in federal taxes, thanks to various tax credits and tax breaks for executive stock options. And now Amazon will get nearly $800 million in additional tax relief from the new Republican tax bill. I like Amazon, but this just doesn't seem right to me.

Name:	Talullahhound -	Reply
Subject:	Amazon and taxes
Date:	3/21/2018 9:47:49 PM

And it used to be that we didn't pay taxes on our Amazon purchases but now we do.  I'm not so sure that all these tax breaks given to big successful companies result in jobs.  Amazon keeps laying people off.  I suspect that they are one of those companies that look to hire immigrants who don't expect benefits and regular wage increases.  I've heard of some companies firing their senior people just before they could collect their pensions so they wouldn't have to pay out.  (and I'm not referring to the gov't).  I know millions of years ago, a supermarket company I worked for used to keep a stable of part timers so they didn't have to pay the benefits that full time workers get.  

Name:	MartiniMan -	Reply
Subject:	Some of the taxes got paid
Date:	3/22/2018 9:50:18 AM

At least the close to $1B in income from exercised stock options will be taxed by the recipients of the options at their marginal rate.  And their foreign tax liability was $724 million so I'm guessing that of the $5B in net income a fair portion of it was international and not subject to U.S. taxes unless they repatriate the cash.  They also deferred around $45 million in U.S. taxes that I suppose would eventually get paid.  Either way, given how complex the tax code is I am not surprised that they can get their legion of lawyers and accountants to figure out a way to avoid paying taxes.  But the title of the article is misleading.  They will pay close to $1 billion in taxes on the $5 billion in income which is around 20%.  Unfortunately most of that will go to foreign countries who probably don't have all the lobbyist inspired deductions like stock options to offset the tax liability.