Sheldon Adelson Stands To Get $2 Billion Tax Cut If Mitt Romney Is Elected: Report

Sheldon Adelson Stands To Get $2 Billion Tax Cut If Mitt Romney Is Elected: Report
FILE - In this April 12, 2012 file photo, Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson speaks at a news conference for the Sands Cotai Central in Macau. Allegations have surfaced in a Nevada court that billionaire Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson personally approved allowing prostitution and knew about other improper activity at his company's casinos in the Chinese enclave of Macau. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)
FILE - In this April 12, 2012 file photo, Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson speaks at a news conference for the Sands Cotai Central in Macau. Allegations have surfaced in a Nevada court that billionaire Las Vegas casino mogul Sheldon Adelson personally approved allowing prostitution and knew about other improper activity at his company's casinos in the Chinese enclave of Macau. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung, File)

Casino mogul Sheldon Adelson's backing of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney may not just make political sense for the billionaire -- it may also be in his best interest financially.

Adelson has vowed to spend as much as $100 million to help sway the 2012 election. According to a new report by Seth Hanlon, the director of fiscal reform at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, Adelson could turn that investment into a $2 billion tax cut if Romney is elected.

From Hanlon's report on how Romney's tax plan could benefit Adelson:

• Cut top tax rates, saving Adelson approximately $1.5 million on his annual compensation as chief executive of his casino company.

• Maintain the special low rates on dividends, potentially saving Adelson nearly $120 million on a single year’s worth of dividends, more than enough to recoup his politi- cal donations.

• Maintain the special low rates on capital gains, allowing Adelson to make back his political donations in capital gains tax cuts just by selling a fraction of his stock.

• Provide a tax windfall of an estimated $1.2 billion to Adelson’s company, Las Vegas Sands Corp., on untaxed profits from its Asian casinos, as well as a tax exemption forfuture overseas profits. Adelson’s casinos already enjoy a special foreign tax exemp- tion from the Chinese administrative region of Macau, and Gov. Romney would make those foreign profits exempt from U.S. taxes as well.

• Eliminate the estate tax, potentially providing a staggering $8.9 billion windfall to Adelson’s heirs.

Before You Go

Sheldon Adelson And Family (R)

Donors Giving $500,000-Plus To Super PACs

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