My Promotion Has Me Thinking About Donald Trump’s Taxes
Recently, I was promoted to the position of laboratory client services manager, one of three advancements I’ve earned during my twenty-four years as a working professional.
Some of the high achievers reading this essay may scoff at my three promotions, since they most likely represent a small fraction of the number of times they’ve been gifted movement in the workplace. My promotion will remain a big deal for me, though, a sharp repudiation of those people who laughed at me, ignored me, and summarily fired me from a teaching position twelve years ago. As it has often been said, success is the greatest revenge.
In addition to carrying and prioritizing plenty of new responsibilities, my elevation to manager comes with a significant bump in my salary, finally justifying the decision to take out loans to finance my enrollment in graduate school. I should be able to afford a few extra discretionary items next year, save more frequently, and chip away at my loan balance before finally earning forgiveness in spring 2024.
An unfortunate byproduct of a higher salary is an additional tax burden in terms of dollars, as my marginal tax rate will remain constant at twenty-two percent. I’d have no problem paying this amount, except for the fact that many Americans who are richer than I routinely apportion a…
