Why Billionaires Like Bezos Pay Almost No Taxes
Jeff Bezos grew his net worth by $127B between 2006–2018.
He paid just $1.4B in federal income tax — about 1%.
Here’s the playbook:
🟡Buy, Don’t Earn – Billionaires don’t rely on salaries. They hold appreciating assets like stocks and real estate.
🟡Never Sell – As long as they don’t sell, the gains aren’t taxed.
🟡Borrow to Spend – Need cash? They borrow against their assets. Loans aren’t income, so no taxes.
🟡Die Rich – When they pass, heirs inherit the assets with a step-up in basis. That wipes out the gains — no capital gains tax.
This cycle is called: Buy → Borrow → Die
It legally shields massive wealth from taxation.
Meanwhile, everyday workers get taxed at the source.
You earn. You get taxed. They own — and avoid taxes entirely.
Until the tax code changes, this is how the system works: Don’t just earn. Own.