Federal tax law provides the foreign tax credit to relieve taxpayers of the double tax burden imposed when their foreign income is taxed by both the United States and the foreign country where their income originated. Usually, if the foreign tax rate is higher than the U.S. tax rate, there will be no resulting U.S. tax on this foreign income. If the foreign tax rate is lower than the U.S. tax rate, the U.S. tax on the foreign income will be the difference between the two tax rates. Keep in mind that the foreign tax credit reduces U.S. taxes on foreign source income, but never reduces U.S. taxes on U.S. source income.
Using The Gift Tax Exclusion To Protect Your Estate
Most of us don’t have to worry about the federal estate tax or gift tax. In 2016, the lifetime gift and estate tax exemption is $5.45 million. Thus, any taxpayer while alive may give, and at death, devise, or bequeath, up to $5.45 million before any federal tax liability is created. This exemption is double for married couples, which means that a married couple can gift or leave a total of $10.9 million that will be exempt from federal estate and gift taxes.
Supreme Court Tax Cases: Comptroller of the Treasury of Maryland v. Brian Wynne
For a significant period of time, since 1873 in fact, the Supreme Court has held that the taxing power of the states is limited by the dormant commerce clause. State taxes on interstate activity must be “fairly apportioned,” meaning that if more than one state may legitimately tax the same income, each state may only tax its fair share. This flows from the Commerce Clause’s negative converse, i.e. its restriction prohibiting states from enacting legislation that overly burdens or discriminates against interstate commerce. In many cases dealing with the taxation of multi-state businesses, courts have enforced the requirement that state taxes be fairly apportioned.