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| 1 | +On October 21, 2025, labor union SEIU United Healthcare Workers West submitted the ["2026 Billionaire Tax Act"](https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/initiatives/pdfs/25-0024%20%28Billionaire%20Tax%20%29.pdf) (California Initiative 25-0024) to California Attorney General Rob Bonta for title and summary preparation. The initiative would impose a one-time 5% tax on the net worth as of December 31, 2026 of California residents with wealth exceeding $1 billion. |
| 2 | + |
| 3 | +The tax structure creates marginal tax rates on wealth between 50% and 60% during the $1.0-$1.1 billion phase-in range. This occurs because the tax applies to total wealth rather than only wealth exceeding $1 billion, causing rate increases to affect all accumulated wealth. |
| 4 | + |
| 5 | +## The phase-in mechanism |
| 6 | + |
| 7 | +The statutory text specifies: |
| 8 | + |
| 9 | +> For individuals and trusts on whom tax is imposed... the tax imposed is 5 percent of the net worth of such individual or trust. In the case of an individual (other than a trust) having net worth less than $1.1 billion ($1,100,000,000), the tax imposed by this Section shall be reduced by 0.1 percentage point (but not below zero) for each $2 million ($2,000,000) by which such person's net worth falls below $1.1 billion ($1,100,000,000). |
| 10 | +
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| 11 | +<iframe src="/charts/california-billionaire-tax-marginal-rates/phase-in.html" width="100%" height="650" frameborder="0"></iframe> |
| 12 | + |
| 13 | +This creates a stepwise rate schedule. At exactly $1.0 billion, the tax rate is 0% and total tax is $0. At $1.1 billion, the rate reaches 5% and total tax is $55 million. Taxpayers can spread payments over five years, though the liability remains based on wealth as of December 31, 2026 regardless of subsequent wealth changes. |
| 14 | + |
| 15 | +## Total tax liability |
| 16 | + |
| 17 | +Multiplying wealth by the tax rate yields total tax liability. For example, at $1.1 billion, the 5% rate produces $55 million in tax ($1.1B × 5% = $55M). At $2.0 billion, the tax is $100 million ($2.0B × 5% = $100M). The chart below shows the full tax liability schedule. |
| 18 | + |
| 19 | +<iframe src="/charts/california-billionaire-tax-marginal-rates/liability.html" width="100%" height="650" frameborder="0"></iframe> |
| 20 | + |
| 21 | +## Marginal tax rates |
| 22 | + |
| 23 | +The marginal tax rate measures how much additional tax results from a wealth increase. It equals the change in tax divided by the change in wealth. |
| 24 | + |
| 25 | +Because the tax applies to total wealth rather than only wealth above $1 billion, each 0.1 percentage point rate increase applies to all accumulated wealth, creating marginal rates between 50% and 60% in the phase-in range. |
| 26 | + |
| 27 | +| Initial wealth | Initial rate | Initial tax | New wealth | New rate | New tax | Change in wealth | Change in tax | Marginal rate | |
| 28 | +| -------------- | ------------ | ----------- | ---------- | -------- | ------- | ---------------- | ------------- | ------------- | |
| 29 | +| $1.000B | 0.0% | $0M | $1.1B | 5.0% | $55.0M | $100M | $55.0M | 55% | |
| 30 | +| $1.000B | 0.0% | $0M | $1.002B | 0.1% | $1.0M | $2M | $1.0M | 50% | |
| 31 | +| $1.098B | 4.9% | $53.8M | $1.100B | 5.0% | $55.0M | $2M | $1.2M | 60% | |
| 32 | +| $1.100B | 5.0% | $55.0M | $1.102B | 5.0% | $55.1M | $2M | $0.1M | 5% | |
| 33 | + |
| 34 | +<iframe src="/charts/california-billionaire-tax-marginal-rates/mtr.html" width="100%" height="650" frameborder="0"></iframe> |
| 35 | + |
| 36 | +The marginal rate increases from 50% to 60% across the 50 discrete $2 million increments in the phase-in range, averaging 55%. Above $1.1 billion, the marginal rate drops to 5%. |
| 37 | + |
| 38 | +The initiative requires [874,641 valid signatures](https://ballotpedia.org/California_2026_ballot_propositions) by June 25, 2026 to qualify for the November 2026 ballot. |
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