How Trump’s New Tax Bill Will Impact Star Athletes

The running joke went like this: Donald Trump was so upset over kneeling NFL players and the rebukes from LeBron James and the Golden State Warriors, that he took revenge on athletes via the new tax plan. For millionaire sports stars, the decline in their marginal rate—from 39.6 to 37%—would be offset by eliminating the deductions on everything from training expenses to union dues to agent commission. High-earning athletes are dramatically impacted by the new tax bill. As I considered the new tax bill, I considered a hypothetical NBA player who makes $10 million per year and realized something: the new $10,000 cap on state income tax deduction is critical.