Obama's dividend tax increase is going to hit a lot of middle and lower income retirees hard.
Companies are racing the clock to hand out billions in special dividends before year endâand some of them are taking on debt to do it.
The latest is Costco which announced a $7-a-share payout to stockholders Wednesday and is issuing bonds to pay for the $3 billion dividend.
Fearing a tripling of dividend tax rates next year, companies have found one-time payouts and early payments of quarterly dividends as a way to beat some of the impact of the "Fiscal Cliff."
Taking advantage of super-low interest rates, companies have been issuing debt at a record rate this month. Some say they plan to use the proceeds to fund dividends and share repurchases.
âI think what youâre seeing is a reaction to the lack of clarity around the tax laws, and thatâs what Treasurers and CFOs are doing,â said Joel Levington, managing director of corporate credit at Brookfield Investment Management.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/49993082
Companies are racing the clock to hand out billions in special dividends before year endâand some of them are taking on debt to do it.
The latest is Costco which announced a $7-a-share payout to stockholders Wednesday and is issuing bonds to pay for the $3 billion dividend.
Fearing a tripling of dividend tax rates next year, companies have found one-time payouts and early payments of quarterly dividends as a way to beat some of the impact of the "Fiscal Cliff."
Taking advantage of super-low interest rates, companies have been issuing debt at a record rate this month. Some say they plan to use the proceeds to fund dividends and share repurchases.
âI think what youâre seeing is a reaction to the lack of clarity around the tax laws, and thatâs what Treasurers and CFOs are doing,â said Joel Levington, managing director of corporate credit at Brookfield Investment Management.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/49993082