That's the combined effect of the new law's higher capital-gains rate and limitation on deductions, as well as a new tax this year to help pay for the new health-care law.
Now both parties in Congress have indicated they intend to let this provision expire on December 31st, 2012, which means all of those with paychecks will see a 2% reduction in pay immediately after the newyear.
By and large, businesses welcomed this tidying up, even though they will pay more tax during a four-year transition to a new system of payment, under which big firms will pay tax quarterly on a current-year basis, rather than in arrears as now.