Opens in a new tab

AIG bonus tax passes

March 19, 2009

OK, I totally underestimated the appeal of using the tax code to recoup AIG bonus payments. Sorry, Charlie, for doubting you.

Charlie is, of course, Charles Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Commitee and chief sponsor of H.R. 1586, a bill that would tax up to 90 percent of bonus money paid to certain AIG employees. By a vote of 328-to-93, the measure passed the House.

The Senate Finance Committee leaders are working on their own AIG bonus bill. It must pass that chamber and then the two pieces of legislation will have to be reconciled.

It will be interesting to see what the Senate comes up with and just how a final AIG measure will shape up. Regardless, I stand by my earlier positon that the bonuses should be nulified, not taxed.

But then, for better or worse (for me and the country!), I'm not in Congress.

Share:

The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic. 

Latest Posts
confused office worker
8 workplace benefits questions to ask this enrollment season

October 26, 2026

Millions of U.S. workers are now deciding what workplace benefits, some of which also offer…

Read More
TAX-SAVVY WAYS 
TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

Comments
  • This whole thing is crazy… The whole bonus thing is 1/10 of 1 percent of the total amount given to AIG. Let’s put this in perspective. Assume the govt paid $1,000 to AIG, and AIG paid $1 of that in bonuses… That’s what we are talking about. If the government would have have let the sinking ship sink in the first place, this wouldn’t have happened.

Leave your comment