Achieve Olympic Glory - Now Pay the IRS

U.S. Olympic gold medal winners could owe almost $10,000 to the IRS
As 230 U.S. Olympic athletes gear up to compete in the 2014 Winter Games, the only thing colder than the slopes at Sochi is the fact that any prizes awarded by the U.S. Olympic Commission (USOC) will be taxed by the IRS. Many Americans don't realize that the U.S. taxes income earned abroad, and as such even the winnings of Olympic athletes are subject to the reach of the IRS.
 
The USOC awards prizes to U.S. Olympic medal winners: $25,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver, and $10,000 for bronze. Relative to each athlete's income tax bracket, some top earners such as Shaun White could end up paying over a third (39.6 percent) of their winnings to the IRS. 

 

Additionally, because the U.S. is one of only a handful of developed countries that tax income earned abroad, it is likely America's competitors will not be subject to such a tax. Taken together - the tax on Olympic athletes and the tax on income earned abroad - it can be said the U.S. has officially "earned the Gold" for having one of the most backwards and illogical tax codes in the world. 

 

U.S. Tax Rates per Bracket

Max. Tax Liability on Gold Medal Prize of $25,000

Max. Tax Liability on Silver Medal Prize of $15,000

Max. Tax Liability on Bronze Medal Prize of $10,000

39.6%

$9,900

$5,940

$3,960

35%

$8,750

$5,250

$3,500

33%

$8,250

$4,950

$3,300

28%

$7,000

$4,200

$2,800

25%

$6,250

$3,750

$2,500

15%

$3,750

$2,250

$1,500

10%

$2,500

$1,500

$1,000

 

Americans for Tax Reform has calculated the federal income tax medal winners could potentially face.  It will vary depending on which marginal income tax bracket the athlete finds himself in for 2014. The amounts below represent only the federal income tax liability, and do not account for income taxes owed in most states.

 For gold medal winners, ATR believes applying the top marginal income tax bracket of 39.6 percent to gold medal winners is reasonable for the following reasons:

  • Gold medal winners (as opposed to silver and bronze medal winners) are likely to have marketing, endorsement, speaking, etc. deals in 2014, and should have higher-than-usual earnings
  • Because state income taxes are not being calculated, there is a margin of error built into the methodology



Read more: http://atr.org/achieve-olympic-glory-pay-irs-a8135#ixzz2sr2IvNMa
Follow us: @taxreformer on Twitter

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I didn't realize that medal winners received cash prizes. Are they paid in American dollars, Euros, Pesos or what? I think it's a shame to penalize these athletes because they are there representing us but Uncle Sam wants his money and he's going to get it one way or another.

Willy..

I thought it was the value of the medals that they consider income.  I did not realize this either.

I remember this being talked about during the last Olympics but can't remember earlier ones. 

Thank the Carter Administration (see the 2nd page) for the taxation of foreign income sources like this.  The same administration that later boycotted the Olympics, to save these athletes the degradation of having a lot of their earnings taken away to support Uncle Sam and Brother Billy.

You can thank the Carter Administration for a lot of things. Who couldn't wait to dispose the Shaw of Iran, a US ally. Look what we have now.

The Carter Administration was more inept than our current administration, but they were far less corrupt.

I couldn't remember how far back it went, but I know it has been a topic at several Olympics.

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