If you add up all of the jurisdictional taxes, 50% is typical for high earners. For instance I pay 38% fed and 10% state here in Oregon.
Sketchy dudes will talk about various schemes to lower taxes but call it what it is: unethical tax avoidance. The real issue we should be talking about in the US is how poorly we use that tax income. Our built environment is absolutely dreadful because of our car dependency and we have little to no social benefits despite having massive tax income because our health care system is parasitic.
Sketchy dudes talk about it but can't actually provide solid examples and numbers that don't involve things like "invest all your profits in a failed startup so that it's all a business expense".
Look at the actual income tax paid by professional athletes; if anyone knew how to do it it would be them.
Sketchy dudes will talk about various schemes to lower taxes but call it what it is: unethical tax avoidance. The real issue we should be talking about in the US is how poorly we use that tax income. Our built environment is absolutely dreadful because of our car dependency and we have little to no social benefits despite having massive tax income because our health care system is parasitic.