Nick Saban is the highest paid college football coach in the country. In 2017, he was reportedly paid $11 million by the University of Alabama. If he is paid that amount in 2018, the recently passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) will impose an excise tax on Alabama, his employer, of over $2 million!

Why is Congress picking on Alabama?

Well, the Act applies not only to Alabama but also to other tax-exempt organizations. In order to level the playing field between tax-exempt and for-profit entities, the Act imposes a 21 percent excise tax on compensation in excess of $1 million paid to “covered employees” (the organization’s top five earners for the current and any preceding tax year). This excise tax also applies to excess “parachute payments” made to covered employees upon separation from employment. In the for-profit realm, such payments are penalized with a loss of the employer’s corresponding income tax deduction.

So, who are the likely targets of the new tax? In addition to football coaches, college presidents and highly paid executives of public charities come to mind. However, there is an exception for compensation paid to doctors, nurses, veterinarians and other licensed professionals for providing medical services. So, superstar physicians may not subject their tax-exempt employers to the new excise tax.

Takeaway:

Tax-exempt employers may want to consider deferred compensation arrangements for executives in order to reduce current compensation. Medical service providers like public hospitals that pay compensation primarily for medical services may want to revise physician employment agreements to separate compensation paid for administrative and teaching services from compensation paid directly for medical services. In any event, there is no grandfather provision so the excise tax will apply to existing compensation arrangements for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2017 (that’s January 1, 2018 for employers with calendar tax years).

Leave a comment

Your Email will not be published with a comment

This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and provide you with personalized services. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the use of cookies. See our Terms of Engagement to learn more.
ACCEPT