What is the “luxury tax?” Why does it exist? How is it determined? Who pays it?
The luxury tax is a mechanism that helps control team spending. While it is commonly referred to as a “luxury tax,” the CBA simply calls it a “tax” or a “team payment.” It is paid by high spending teams — teams whose payroll exceeds a predetermined tax level. These teams pay one dollar for each dollar their payroll (with a few exceptions, see below) exceeds the tax level The tax level is determined prior to the season, and is computed by taking 61% of projected BRI, subtracting projected benefits ($112 million in 2005-06), and adjusting for whether the previous season’s BRI was above or below projections. They then divide by the number of teams (except expansion teams in their first two seasons) to arrive at the tax level.
