Although federal corporate tax rates can vary from 15% to 35% depending on a corporations taxable income, the majority of major U.S. corporations fall toward the higher end of the tax bracket. Despite having one of the highest corporate income tax rates in the world, a 2008 Government Accountability Office report indicated that 42% of U.S. corporations paid no income taxes for a period of 2 or more years between 1998 and 2005. As you observed in Week 6, this disparity between corporate income tax rates and the actual amounts paid can be attributed to allowable tax exemptions, credits, and deductions.

In the federal tax system, the tax rate describes the ratio of tax liability. This ratio will vary depending on the method of presentation. Your course text defines three methods of presenting tax rates: marginal tax rates, average tax rates, and effective tax rates. For this Discussion, research the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Form 10-K requirements. With these requirements in mind, select a publically traded corporation, and identify the tax rates of the corporation. What are the implications of these rates on the corporation?