October Term 2017 · Docket 17-530
Does stock count as money for railroad payroll taxes?
The dispute centers on whether stock payments qualify as money remuneration under the Railroad Retirement Tax Act.
Verified source milestones
- — An official oral-argument transcript was verified.
The arguments, in order
This case may have been argued more than once. Each entry below uses that session's official transcript. Later arguments do not erase earlier ones.
Argument 1 ·
What happened at the argument
the sides that brought the case claim stock is not money.
the opposing sides claim stock is readily convertible to cash.
questions_asked_by_justices
Read the official transcript for this argument · Official argument details
Sources used for this argument breakdown
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 11-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 51-49 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 51-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 53-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 53-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 53-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 29-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 55-1
A citizen's guide to the whole case
What this case is about
The case asks if stock counts as money for payroll taxes. the sides that brought the case argue stock is not money. the opposing sides argue stock is readily convertible to cash.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 51-49 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 51-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-45
How the case got here
The Supreme Court heard oral argument in this case on April 16, 2018.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
What each side wants
the sides that brought the case want the Court to hold that stock is not money remuneration.
the opposing sides want the Court to hold that stock is money remuneration.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 51-49 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 51-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-45
What each side says
the sides that brought the case argue stock is not a generally accepted medium of exchange.
the opposing sides argue the statute covers payments readily convertible to cash.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 51-49 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 51-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-45
What the justices asked
Justice Kennedy asked where the slippery slope ends regarding stock.
Justice Kagan noted many employees take compensation in cash instead of stock.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 11-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 53-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 53-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 53-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 29-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 55-1
Why it matters
The outcome determines how employers calculate payroll taxes for stock compensation. It affects the tax burden on railroad companies and employees.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 51-49 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 51-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-45
What happens next
This article currently covers the argument record. Use the official docket link for later case activity.
Official sources for this section
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 11-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 11-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 10, lines 47-27 — Transcript, file page 10, lines 47-27
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 11-21 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 11-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 47-49 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 47-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 13-15 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 13-15
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 19-21 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 19-21
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 5, lines 53-19 — Transcript, file page 5, lines 53-19
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 6, lines 55-7 — Transcript, file page 6, lines 55-7
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 7, lines 53-13 — Transcript, file page 7, lines 53-13
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 19-23 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 19-23
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 8, lines 29-11 — Transcript, file page 8, lines 29-11
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 29-41 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 29-41
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 9, lines 55-1 — Transcript, file page 9, lines 55-1
Official Court provenance
Official docket and case history · Official Supreme Court oral-argument detail page
Title and summary sources
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 51-49 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 51-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-45
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 31, lines 51-49 — Transcript, file page 31, lines 51-49
- Official Supreme Court Transcript — file page 4, lines 23-45 — Transcript, file page 4, lines 23-45
Revision history
- Revision 1 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Rewritten to the concise citizen-facing editorial standard.
- Revision 2 · Official Transcript ·
Correction: Migrated to the dated official Court activity contract without model use.