Yahoo Finance How Much Do These 30 Star Athletes Pay in Taxes?
It's easy to envy sports stars and their giant salaries, but come tax time, professional athletes pony up a big portion of their paychecks to help keep their local, state and federal governments up and running. In fact, the highest-taxed athletes in sports forfeit half their income or more to their civic duty of paying the government. And in some states with higher tax rates, the payroll deductions for taxes can be hefty.
Related: Pros and Cons of Living in a State With No Income Tax
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To find out which athletes have the highest tax bills, GOBankingRates used salary data from Spotrac to identify the MLB, NFL and NBA players with the highest salaries, then used its own internal tax calculators to assess the rates and dollar amounts that those athletes paid in state and federal taxes.
Note that NBA stars Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, who appear on this list, recently were traded. Their tax information reflects their tax bills in the states where their teams were based when they started the season last fall.
Corey Seager
Team: Texas Rangers
League: MLB
Salary: $35,500,000
Federal taxes paid: $13,090,208
State taxes paid: $0
FICA taxes paid: $841,564
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,568,228
Total taxes paid: $13,931,772
Effective tax rate: 39.24%
Take Our Poll: How Much of a Tax Refund Do You Expect in 2023?
Ryan Tannehill
Team: Tennessee Titans
League: NFL
Salary: $38,600,000
Federal taxes paid: $14,237,208
State taxes paid: $0
FICA taxes paid: $914,414
Take-home salary (after taxes): $23,448,378
Total taxes paid: $15,151,622
Effective tax rate: 39.25%
T.J. Watt
Team: Pittsburgh Steelers
League: NFL
Salary: $24,368,694
Federal taxes paid: $8,971,624
State taxes paid: $748,119
FICA taxes paid: $579,975
Take-home salary (after taxes): $14,068,973
Total taxes paid: $10,299,771
Effective tax rate: 42.27%
Jared Goff
Team: Detroit Lions
League: NFL
Salary: $31,150,000
Federal taxes paid: $11,480,708
State taxes paid: $1,323,875
FICA taxes paid: $739,339
Take-home salary (after taxes): $17,606,078
Total taxes paid: $13,543,922
Effective tax rate: 43.48%
Chris Jones
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
League: NFL
Salary: $29,415,667
Federal taxes paid: $10,839,004
State taxes paid: $1,558,158
FICA taxes paid: $698,582
Take-home salary (after taxes): $16,319,923
Total taxes paid: $13,095,744
Effective tax rate: 44.52%
Nolan Arenado
Team: St. Louis Cardinals
League: MLB
Salary: $35,000,000
Federal taxes paid: $12,905,208
State taxes paid: $1,854,128
FICA taxes paid: $829,814
Take-home salary (after taxes): $19,410,850
Total taxes paid: $15,589,150
Effective tax rate: 44.54%
Patrick Mahomes
Team: Kansas City Chiefs
League: NFL
Salary: $35,793,381
Federal taxes paid: $13,198,758
State taxes paid: $1,896,177
FICA taxes paid: $848,458
Take-home salary (after taxes): $19,849,988
Total taxes paid: $15,943,393
Effective tax rate: 44.54%
Carson Wentz
Team: Washington Commanders
League: NFL
Salary: $28,294,119
Federal taxes paid: $10,424,032
State taxes paid: $1,626,396
FICA taxes paid: $672,226
Take-home salary (after taxes): $15,571,465
Total taxes paid: $12,722,654
Effective tax rate: 44.97%
Aaron Rodgers
Team: Green Bay Packers
League: NFL
Salary: $28,533,569
Federal taxes paid: $10,512,628
State taxes paid: $2,175,006
FICA taxes paid: $677,853
Take-home salary (after taxes): $15,168,082
Total taxes paid: $13,365,487
Effective tax rate: 46.84%
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Team: Milwaukee Bucks
League: NBA
Salary: $42,492,492
Federal taxes paid: $15,677,430
State taxes paid: $3,242,864
FICA taxes paid: $1,005,888
Take-home salary (after taxes): $22,566,310
Total taxes paid: $19,926,182
Effective tax rate: 46.89%
Damian Lillard
Team: Portland Trail Blazers
League: NBA
Salary: $42,492,492
Federal taxes paid: $15,677,430
State taxes paid: $4,204,823
FICA taxes paid: $1,005,888
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,604,351
Total taxes paid: $20,888,141
Effective tax rate: 49.16%
Francisco Lindor
Team: New York Mets
League: MLB
Salary: $34,100,000
Federal taxes paid: $12,572,208
State taxes paid: $3,501,528
FICA taxes paid: $808,664
Take-home salary (after taxes): $17,217,600
Total taxes paid: $16,882,400
Effective tax rate: 49.51%
Gerrit Cole
Team: New York Yankees
League: MLB
Salary: $36,000,000
Federal taxes paid: $13,275,208
State taxes paid: $3,708,628
FICA taxes paid: $853,314
Take-home salary (after taxes): $18,162,850
Total taxes paid: $17,837,150
Effective tax rate: 49.55%
Aaron Judge
Team: New York Yankees
League: MLB
Salary: $40,000,000
Federal taxes paid: $14,755,208
State taxes paid: $4,144,628
FICA taxes paid: $947,314
Take-home salary (after taxes): $20,152,850
Total taxes paid: $19,847,150
Effective tax rate: 49.62%
Justin Verlander
Team: New York Mets
League: MLB
Salary: $43,333,333
Federal taxes paid: $15,988,541
State taxes paid: $4,507,961
FICA taxes paid: $1,025,647
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,811,184
Total taxes paid: $21,522,149
Effective tax rate: 49.67%
Max Scherzer
Team: New York Mets
League: MLB
Salary: $43,333,333
Federal taxes paid: $15,988,541
State taxes paid: $4,507,961
FICA taxes paid: $1,025,647
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,811,184
Total taxes paid: $21,522,149
Effective tax rate: 49.67%
Kevin Durant
Team: Brooklyn Nets
League: NBA
Salary: $44,124,845
Federal taxes paid: $16,281,400
State taxes paid: $4,594,236
FICA taxes paid: $1,044,248
Take-home salary (after taxes): $22,204,961
Total taxes paid: $21,919,884
Effective tax rate: 49.68%
Stephen Strasburg
Team: Washington Nationals
League: MLB
Salary: $35,000,000
Federal taxes paid: $12,905,208
State taxes paid: $3,745,176
FICA taxes paid: $829,814
Take-home salary (after taxes): $17,519,802
Total taxes paid: $17,480,198
Effective tax rate: 49.94%
Bradley Beal
Team: Washington Wizards
League: NBA
Salary: $43,279,250
Federal taxes paid: $15,968,530
State taxes paid: $4,635,195
FICA taxes paid: $1,024,376
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,651,149
Total taxes paid: $21,628,101
Effective tax rate: 49.97%
Kirk Cousins
Team: Minnesota Vikings
League: NFL
Salary: $31,416,668
Federal taxes paid: $11,579,375
State taxes paid: $3,441,424
FICA taxes paid: $745,606
Take-home salary (after taxes): $15,650,263
Total taxes paid: $15,766,405
Effective tax rate: 50.18%
Aaron Donald
Team: Los Angeles Rams
League: NFL
Salary: $27,000,000
Federal taxes paid: $9,945,208
State taxes paid: $3,564,231
FICA taxes paid: $641,814
Take-home salary (after taxes): $12,848,747
Total taxes paid: $14,151,253
Effective tax rate: 52.41%
Joey Bosa
Team: Los Angeles Chargers
League: NFL
Salary: $28,250,000
Federal taxes paid: $10,407,708
State taxes paid: $3,730,481
FICA taxes paid: $671,189
Take-home salary (after taxes): $13,440,622
Total taxes paid: $14,809,378
Effective tax rate: 52.42%
Mike Trout
Team: Los Angeles Angels
League: MLB
Salary: $37,116,666
Federal taxes paid: $13,688,374
State taxes paid: $4,909,747
FICA taxes paid: $879,556
Take-home salary (after taxes): $17,638,989
Total taxes paid: $19,477,677
Effective tax rate: 52.48%
Anthony Rendon
Team: Los Angeles Angels
League: MLB
Salary: $38,571,428
Federal taxes paid: $14,226,636
State taxes paid: $5,103,231
FICA taxes paid: $913,743
Take-home salary (after taxes): $18,327,818
Total taxes paid: $20,243,610
Effective tax rate: 52.48%
Klay Thompson
Team: Golden State Warriors
League: NBA
Salary: $40,600,000
Federal taxes paid: $14,977,208
State taxes paid: $5,373,031
FICA taxes paid: $961,414
Take-home salary (after taxes): $19,288,347
Total taxes paid: $21,311,653
Effective tax rate: 52.49%
Paul George
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
League: NBA
Salary: $42,492,568
Federal taxes paid: $15,677,458
State taxes paid: $5,624,742
FICA taxes paid: $1,005,889
Take-home salary (after taxes): $20,184,479
Total taxes paid: $22,308,089
Effective tax rate: 52.50%
Kawhi Leonard
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
League: NBA
Salary: $42,492,492
Federal taxes paid: $15,677,430
State taxes paid: $5,624,732
FICA taxes paid: $1,005,888
Take-home salary (after taxes): $20,184,442
Total taxes paid: $22,308,050
Effective tax rate: 52.50%
LeBron James
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
League: NBA
Salary: $44,474,988
Federal taxes paid: $16,410,953
State taxes paid: $5,888,404
FICA taxes paid: $1,052,476
Take-home salary (after taxes): $21,123,155
Total taxes paid: $23,351,833
Effective tax rate: 52.51%
Russell Westbrook
Team: Los Angeles Lakers
League: NBA
Salary: $47,063,478
Federal taxes paid: $17,368,694
State taxes paid: $6,232,673
FICA taxes paid: $1,113,306
Take-home salary (after taxes): $22,348,805
Total taxes paid: $24,714,673
Effective tax rate: 52.51%
Stephen Curry
Team: Golden State Warriors
League: NBA
Salary: $48,070,014
Federal taxes paid: $17,741,113
State taxes paid: $6,366,543
FICA taxes paid: $1,136,959
Take-home salary (after taxes): $22,825,399
Total taxes paid: $25,244,615
Effective tax rate: 52.52%
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Methodology: For this piece GOBankingRates first sourced the top 10 highest paid players in the NFL, NBA, and MLB and sourced each player's (1) current or upcoming seasons salary. With these 30 athletes isolated, GOBankingRates then used our in-house federal and state income tax calculators to find each athlete's: (2) federal income taxes paid; (3) state income taxes paid; (4) FICA taxes paid; (5) income after taxes; (6) total income taxes paid; and (7) effective tax rate for each athlete. All income tax calculations were made assuming a single filer, filing their taxes in the state in which their team/employer is located. GOBankingRates used 2022 federal tax brackets and standard deductions and 2022 state tax brackets and standard deductions, all sourced from Tax Foundation. All data was collected and is up to date as of Feb. 7, 2023.
Jami Farkas contributed to the reporting of this article.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much Do These 30 Star Athletes Pay in Taxes?
