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The more relevant question is, if Apple makes an iPhone in China and then sells it to a Chinese citizen, why does the state of California try to tax that transaction?
They might not BUT Uncle Sam taxes US Companies on their WORLDWIDE Earnings. There are agreements in place between the US and other governments but there is legislation in place whereby the US Gov can deem the taxes paid by a company in one jurisdiction 'too little' and levy what they thinks as appropriate taxes. This clause is not used very often.
The US Gov is almost unique in deeming that ALL income of people and companies from wherever in the world it eminates is liable to US Taxes.
California has a unitary corporate income tax. That means they tax all corporate transactions no matter where in the world they occur. For example the profit on an iPhone made in China that is sold to a Chinese citizen and that phone has never been near California.
A tax like that is a good way to drive multinational corporate headquarters out of your state and they appear to be succeeding. Nevada doesn't have a silly tax like that.
I believe California is the only state with unitary taxation.




Member since:
2005-07-06
Everything is owned by people. Corporations may own other corporations but there is always a person at the end of the chain. If these Apple shareholders live in California, like many of them do, California still gets a great big tax bite when they sell their Apple stock.
Corporate profits are taxed twice. Once at the corporate level and a second time at the shareholder level. If Apple avoids the taxes at the corporate level it makes the share price go up, which then causes the individuals to pay more in taxes.
The more relevant question is, if Apple makes an iPhone in China and then sells it to a Chinese citizen, why does the state of California try to tax that transaction?
Edited 2012-04-29 14:42 UTC