this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2024
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[–] Maggoty@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago) (1 children)

His idea that an income tax is super regressive because the wealthy can live off "unrealized gains" is wrong. But so is your assertion that they don't actually make money until they realize the gains.

Wealthy people live off of low interest loans that use their stock as collateral. However as long as the green line goes up, they never need to really worry. And when payment comes due it just gets rolled into another loan. The primary mistake the merely rich make when trying to move up is transitioning to this model too early or too aggressively and losing their stock collateral.

This is also how billionaires take a 1 dollar "paycheck" and afford to fly private jets everywhere. "Unrealized gains" is a lie and a giant loophole in our tax system.

[–] phillaholic@lemm.ee 2 points 9 months ago

I know, and that’s what I was vaguely describing. It’s something entirely different than what’s being talked about.