On top of that there will be (for high-bracket savers) a 3.8% investment tax surcharge plus a clawback of deductions that effectively adds 1.2 percentage points to the stated tax rate.

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If no further action is taken by Congress, the maximum individual income tax bracket would increase to a stated rate of 39.6%, but an effective marginal rate of 40.8% for most high-bracket taxpayers due to a limitation on itemized deductions that would also come back in 2013.

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He also went so far as to call the Harvard upset in a bracket pool with his high-school friends.

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No. 2 Ohio State had managed to escape as the lone high seed left in the NCAA tournament's most-busted bracket.

NPR: No. 2 Ohio State Beats Iowa State 78-75 On Late 3

Consider annuities if you (a) are in a high tax bracket (b) have exhausted other forms of tax-favored retirement savings, like 401(k)s and IRAs and (c) want to own more bonds, especially corporate bonds.

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That interest is taxed at high "ordinary income" rates--close to 40% if you are in the top federal bracket.

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