Who Will Be Subject to the New Medicare Surtax?
Who Will Be Subject to the New Surtax? One of the largest tax increases arising out of the President's health care reform initiatives is a new tax on the qualified unearned or passive income of individuals, trusts and estates. That tax begins January 1, 2013, will be imposed at a 3.8% rate and is designated as a Medicare contribution tax (the Medicare surtax). Initially advertised as applying only to high income individuals, the Medicare surtax also applies to estates and trusts once the taxable income reaches the top marginal tax rate. Estates and trusts reach the threshold for taxation at…