posted by iclfan2I don’t know what is entirely true either. The same article says he paid $1m in 2016 and $4.2m in 2017, but after he filed his liability was only $750. I’m a CPA, and skeptical a reporter can understand all that is going on based solely on tax returns.
Yeah, I wasn't surprised a real estate mogul doesn't pay taxes most years. That business is usually characterized by income accruing to trapped/illiquid building equity. And then when you sell the asset after 20-30 years, you have a massive capital gain plus a recapture of the depreciation you took that deferred all that taxable income.
And then Trump has been collecting golf courses for the huge NOL's, which is something else he is able to use to offset income.