Tim Cook testifies: Apple pays all of the US taxes it owes

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Comments

  • Reply 41 of 96
    damn_its_hotdamn_its_hot Posts: 1,213member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bangkokkian View Post



    Problem here is Apple fanboys never accept anything that make Apple negative.

    Apple makes recorded profits worldwide and do not want to sacrifice any for all Americans, but a certain amount of its shareholders.

    This is a greed story and never be complaint by Apple fanboys. Apple should not be protected here. Let say if Microsoft do this, what will Apllefanboys say?

    Hey..McCain don't you know that Apple can do no wrong here...ha ha ha


     


     


    I see this was your first post here.


     


    Have you ever heard the proverb: "It is better to remain silent and thought be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt." - Mark Twain


     


    You might consider that before your 2nd post.

  • Reply 42 of 96
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,851member
    Problem here is Apple fanboys never accept anything that make Apple negative.
    Apple makes recorded profits worldwide and do not want to sacrifice any for all Americans, but a certain amount of its shareholders.
    This is a greed story and never be complaint by Apple fanboys. Apple should not be protected here. Let say if Microsoft do this, what will Apllefanboys say?
    Hey..McCain don't you know that Apple can do no wrong here...ha ha ha

    I guess you didn't actually watch the questioning or you are as dense as McCain. Apple paid tax on the money already in England, Germany France etc. then collected that money in one place, Ireland. They then invest it and pay tax in the US on the earned interest from that already taxed money. If you repeat this 100 times it might sink in. :no:
  • Reply 43 of 96

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Bangkokkian View Post



    Problem here is Apple fanboys never accept anything that make Apple negative.

    Apple makes recorded profits worldwide and do not want to sacrifice any for all Americans, but a certain amount of its shareholders.

    This is a greed story and never be complaint by Apple fanboys. Apple should not be protected here. Let say if Microsoft do this, what will Apllefanboys say?

    Hey..McCain don't you know that Apple can do no wrong here...ha ha ha




    Uh, Microsoft does do this. As well HP, and several others. The problem is, they want to target the biggest US company.


    http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-google-microsoft-coca-cola-taxes-cash-offshore-2013-5

  • Reply 44 of 96
    eat@meeat@me Posts: 321member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jd_in_sb View Post




    Apple doesn't get around taxes. They don't owe the U.S. a dime for their over seas sales. There is no loophole to close.



     


    Not unless Apple wants to bring that money back into the US - then it WILL be taxed.  US is the only country on the planet that taxes its citizens on worldwide income - this is a restriction on our freedom to live and work abroad and an infraction to our liberty - basic tenants of our constitutional rights which is now contrarian

  • Reply 45 of 96
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,851member
    eat@me wrote: »
    Bottom Line: Companies do not pay US taxes on foreign derived income as long as income stays abroad yet American taxpayers are taxed on ALL income derived WORLDWIDE.

    This is a double standard

    There are a few small exceptions, The UK is kind enough not to tax my pension in the UK so long as I pay it here in the USA. The UK and US have a tax treaty for such things. However I agree with you totally. It seems to me the US should move to a territorial tax system.
  • Reply 46 of 96
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post



    It is amazing to me that the 2 Senators questioning so far (Levin D MI, McCain R AZ) refuse to understand that this money was earned in foreign countries and all taxes were paid in those countries. The fact that Apple chooses to concentrate management of the profits centrally in Ireland is for efficiency and investment leverage.



    All these 2 Senators see is that there is some multi-billion dollar amount that they think that they somehow deserve to tax!



    I am ashamed and embarrassed to be governed by anyone so willfully stupid and stubborn.


     


     


    That is not what the Senators are alleging. They are claiming Apple funnels money out of the US in an elaborate scheme to avoid paying US taxes. Apple does do this. The problem is the government has passed these tax laws, and Apple isn't doing anything illegal. 


     


    In Levin's defense, Obama ran on a platform of closing corporate tax loop holes. The Tea Party and Libertarians, however, have filibustered or threatened to do so any meaningful tax reform.

  • Reply 47 of 96
    winniewinnie Posts: 17member
    Amazon is allowed to SELL products TAX FREE to US customers.

    So where is the real problem?
  • Reply 48 of 96
    winniewinnie Posts: 17member
    Amazon is allowed to SELL products TAX FREE to US customers.

    So where is the real problem?
  • Reply 49 of 96
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,851member
    winnie wrote: »
    Amazon is allowed to SELL products TAX FREE to US customers.

    So where is the real problem?

    Excellent point!
  • Reply 50 of 96
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by eat@me View Post


     


    Not unless Apple wants to bring that money back into the US - then it WILL be taxed.  US is the only country on the planet that taxes its citizens on worldwide income - this is a restriction on our freedom to live and work abroad and an infraction to our liberty - basic tenants of our constitutional rights which is now contrarian



     


     


    That is BS. Companies like Apple love to claim they are international companies, yet they want to use the resources of the US overseas. The US supports a huge and expensive diplomatic net around the world that regular US citizens rarely benefit from, but companies like Apple do. If Apple wants to bring its foreign earnings back home, it should pay some to the tax man so it fairly contributes to US diplomatic efforts Apple clearly benefits from. 


     


    Moreover, Apple is moving money that it earned in the US to overseas to avoid taxes, and then is complaining that it can't move it back without paying taxes. This, however, is the government's fault. 

  • Reply 51 of 96
    Gosh I would love if Steve could run into the hearings and, in a way he interrupted that actor that staged him at one of famous keynotes, stop one of the senators and begin to explain why all those claims are nonsense!
  • Reply 52 of 96
    anonymouseanonymouse Posts: 6,975member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Dick Applebaum View Post



    It is amazing to me that the 2 Senators questioning so far (Levin D MI, McCain R AZ) refuse to understand that this money was earned in foreign countries and all taxes were paid in those countries. The fact that Apple chooses to concentrate management of the profits centrally in Ireland is for efficiency and investment leverage.



    All these 2 Senators see is that there is some multi-billion dollar amount that they think that they somehow deserve to tax!



    I am ashamed and embarrassed to be governed by anyone so willfully stupid and stubborn.


     


    Well, legally, a corporation, in the US at least, as an entity, has standing similar to that of a person. US citizens residing abroad and working abroad and taxed in their country of residence are expected to pay individual income tax in the US as well. So, it's not totally out in left field that a US corporation would be expected to do the same, although, that's not what the law currently says. It should at least be consistent, but it's not the craziest mess of tax law that exists. (For instance, if you and your spouse live in New Jersey and one of you works in New Jersey and the other in New York City, New York City expects you to pay city income tax on your combined income, despite the fact that neither of you resides there and one of you doesn't earn any income there.)


     


    The "willfully stupid and stubborn" part of this exercise is that they pretend not to know what the tax laws of this country are. The scarier, and possibly likely, alternative is that they really don't.

  • Reply 53 of 96
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,649member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Winnie View Post



    Amazon is allowed to SELL products TAX FREE to US customers.



    So where is the real problem?


    They don't collect sales tax from the buyer while serving as an "agent" for some States, tho they do for others. Even when they do not it doesn't relieve the purchaser from their sales tax obligations as it was never a tax on Amazon. That's not anything to do with their corporate taxes on profits in any case.

  • Reply 54 of 96
    tbelltbell Posts: 3,146member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Winnie View Post



    Amazon is allowed to SELL products TAX FREE to US customers.



    So where is the real problem?


     


     


    The last I checked, the federal government does not collect a sales tax. Amazon has to collect a state sales tax for places it has a physical residence. For everybody else, it is their responsibility to pay the sales tax. 

  • Reply 55 of 96
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member


    Originally Posted by 2oh1 View Post

    I love Apple.  I've been a diehard Apple fan since the days of the Quadra.  But…


     


    No one cares. Your argument is invalid.

  • Reply 56 of 96
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,649member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Brunzilla View Post




    Uh, Microsoft does do this. As well HP, and several others. The problem is, they want to target highlight the numbers for the biggest US company.


    http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-google-microsoft-coca-cola-taxes-cash-offshore-2013-5


  • Reply 57 of 96
    eat@meeat@me Posts: 321member


    I agree with you TBell - perhaps you misinterpreted my point - companies like Apple use existing loopholes to benefit for shareholders - they are doing nothing illegal but this is WHY exactly we need reform.


     


    The US government is so messed up that this tax reform will not happen - its been talked about my entire life.....

  • Reply 58 of 96
    theothergeofftheothergeoff Posts: 2,081member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Apple ][ View Post


    Rand Paul seems to be one of the few politicians with any common sense, at least in this case.


     


     




     


    Like his father, Rand has moments of libertarian lucidity.    Either that, or Rand was handed a wad of iPad 5s in unmarked envelopes last night;-)

  • Reply 59 of 96
    dick applebaumdick applebaum Posts: 12,527member
    tbell wrote: »
    eat@me wrote: »

    Moreover, Apple is moving money that it earned in the US to overseas to avoid taxes, and then is complaining that it can't move it back without paying taxes. This, however, is the government's fault. 

    Citation please?

    Edit: Tim Cook testified. under oath that Apple did not do this... Did he lie? If so, likely, he is in contempt of Congress, and, likely, breaking some IRS and SEC regulations!
  • Reply 60 of 96
    theothergeofftheothergeoff Posts: 2,081member

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by anonymouse View Post


    The "willfully stupid and stubborn" part of this exercise is that they pretend not to know what the tax laws of this country are. The scarier, and possibly likely, alternative is that they really don't.



    I scared with you.


     


    I feel McCain especially, and most senators in general, are sock puppets with Corporate(WallStreet) America's hand up their arse, moving their lips.  From Keating to now, He's been in the pockets of money and the GOP smoke filled room... his 'maverickism' purely a smoke screen for the times he was left to think on his own... any time he want's to move up, he aligns with the 'master'


     


    I truly feel there is a script master behind the scenes driving every word and every crisis, often to distract from the real issues (benghazi, IRS, AP... vs wall street cronyism, healthcare and real gov't economic reform), to hide the mass migration of money to a very select and silent few, and the kabuki that goes on in senate chambers just drives public opinion away from the true enemies of free enterprise and democracy, the plutocracy.

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