Archive · 12 Jan 2026
Google Co-Founders Reduce California Presence Amid Wealth Tax Proposal
Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the co-founders of Google, are moving many of their business interests out of California.
They are doing this because California might start a new tax that takes 5% of the money from people who have more than $1 billion.
This tax could make them pay a lot of money because of how their shares in Google work.
They still have homes in California, but they are making big changes to avoid this tax.
Some people think this tax is a good idea to help California, but others think it will make rich people leave the state.
Google co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are moving many of their business interests out of California.
They are doing this because of a proposed 5% wealth tax on billionaires in California.
The tax could make them pay about $60 billion each because of their voting shares in Google.
They have moved or made inactive over 60 LLCs and changed the registration of a joint entity to Delaware.
California's Governor Gavin Newsom has criticized the tax, while some tech leaders support it.
- Who
- Larry Page and Sergey Brin, co-founders of Google
- What
- Reducing their presence in California due to a proposed wealth tax
- When
- Late 2025 and early 2026
- Where
- California, with moves to Nevada, Delaware, and Miami
- Why
- To avoid a potential 5% wealth tax on billionaires in California
- Co-Founders
- Larry Page and Sergey Brin
- Company
- Google/Alphabet
- Wealth
- $518 billion combined
- Proposed Tax
- 5% on assets over $1 billion
- Tax Impact
- $60 billion each if applied to voting shares
- Residency Impact
- Retroactive to January 1, 2026
- Ballot Timing
- November 2026
- LLCs Moved
- 60+ LLCs relocated or became inactive