This is a naive understanding of the wealthy and how they pay their taxes.

True it is that the ultra-rich have quite a few tools at their disposal with shell companies and offshore accounts to move money around the world. But most rich people have more limited options to reduce taxes — from a legal perspective.

I’m pretty my family doctor and dentist pay more income tax than I earn in a year. They may have some “loopholes” to pay less tax, but they still pay a lot of tax. And many wealthy people do recognize their fortune and responsibility for a civil society. They don’t push the tax minimizing game too hard.

As well, they want to stay under the radar of tax man. If a person or corporate entity has great profits but pays little taxes, flags will be raised as a candidate for a tax audit. As one accountant told me years ago: “Always pay some taxes. You don’t want to go through a thorough business audit.”

International corporations are pretty good at gaming the international tax system. But international corporations are not “wealthy people.”