How to Compare the Highest International Tax Brackets

The more taxes you pay, the slower your net worth will grow. There are endless legal alternatives for reducing your tax burden, from charitable donations to the incorporation of trusts to purchasing new capital equipment. However, few will have as great an impact as living in a country with a lower tax burden. Fortunately, tax bracket information remains fully public. Data collection and analysis by major international organizations demonstrates which nations have the highest tax brackets.

• 1

  Review the Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD)'s latest tax figures, which it collects, analyzes, and publishes every year. (See the Resources section below.). Sort through the data based on the tax information you need; the OECD collects information on both personal and corporate taxes.

• 2

  Evaluate a nation's overall tax burden by considering how heavily it taxes the three major sources of wealth: income, profits, and capital gains. Use the OECD's historical tables to see how a nation's total tax burden has changed over time.

• 3

  Study the OECD's data on personal income taxes by nation, which break down individual taxes by bracket based on income. Observe that, historically, Belgium has the highest international tax bracket.

• 4

  Review data on corporate taxes for companies incorporated in international jurisdictions, which often vary substantially from personal income taxes.

• 5

  Use the personal income tax and corporate tax rates data to determine, based on your personal and business needs, which location offers you the most advantageous situation. Consult an accountant and attorney, as corporate incorporation laws vary substantially by nation.