Reduction of Corporate Income Taxes

Although reduction of individual taxes is often encouraged, there is great controversy over reduction of corporate income taxes. Every April, you can find news stories about corporations that don’t pay any income taxes. For example, in 2014, CBS Corporation paid no income taxes to the U.S. government despite having a net income of $1.8 billion. Time Warner, Inc., Prudential Financial, Inc., and QUALCOMM, Inc., did not pay any income taxes in 2014 either, despite each having net incomes in the billions (Clarke 2015). Many critics believe that if all profitable corporations shouldered more of the burden of taxes, then the government could avoid deficits and provide more services. This poses the question: Is it ethical for corporations to try to reduce or eliminate their taxes? Consider the obligations major corporations have to their country/society and think about whether corporations should have tax shelters offered to them just as individual taxpayers do.

Search the Internet for current articles (within the last 3 years) on the following topics:

The actual amounts corporations have paid in federal taxes

The ethical, political, and social issues with regard to reducing corporate taxation

The pros and cons of current rules on corporate taxation

Please note that authors can have strong and polarizing positions on this issue, as well as opinions that may not be grounded in research and evidence. As you research, get acquainted with the varied positions on these topics and be respectful of positions that might differ from your own.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post an evaluation of the implications of ethical and social issues associated with reduction of corporate taxes. Provide your opinion on how the loss of these tax revenues will impact the country/society, using General Electric, Wells Fargo, or other corporations as an example to support your evaluation.