After Goldman Sachs (GS +0.78%) accelerated payments of $65M in stock awards to 10 executives to avoid the higher taxes that would come beyond the fiscal cliff, many called into question just how willing CEO Lloyd Blankfein was to have the rich pay more in taxes -- something he has been outspokenly in support of. Warren Buffett saved money prior to the fiscal cliff in a similar fashion, and was similarly outspoken. Is this really a case of doublespeak? In this video, Motley Fool financials analysts Morgan Housel and Matt Koppenheffer discuss why these moves made sense, and how investors should view higher capital gains taxes.
Was Goldman's Sneakiness Bad for Shareholders?
By Morgan Housel and Matt Koppenheffer – Jan 3, 2013 at 9:02PM
NYSE: GS
Goldman Sachs Group
Market Cap
$239B
Today's Change
(0.78%) $6.11
Current Price
$789.99
Price as of October 27, 2025 at 4:00 PM ET
Was there a little bit of Goldman sleight of hand around the fiscal cliff deal?
About the Author
Morgan Housel is the best-selling author of The Psychology of Money and Same as Ever. A former economics and finance columnist for Fool.com and analyst for Motley Fool One, he currently serves as a partner at The Collaborative Fund and on the board of directors at Markel.