Romney releases 2011 tax returns

>>> good evening, mitt romney today released his tax returns for the year 2011 , and in the world of politics, anything a campaign or a politician releases on a friday afternoon is very often not something they like to stress as a positive. romney has talked openly about his business success , his high net worth , and others sure have. and sure enough, he made over $13 million from his investments last year. he also overpaid his tax obligation so he would end up in about a 14% tax bracket . he had an option of paying even less, which would have put him in true rarified air. while this happened, his opponent was facing tough crowds. we have it all with our team, beginning with peter alexander , traveling with the romney campaign, good evening, peter.

>> reporter: brian, good evening to you. it has been a rough couple of weeks now for the romney campaign, trailing in the polls. and by putting out their tax returns , the campaign hopes they can put the issue to bed so as not to deal with any negative headlines close to the election. campaigning in las vegas today and under pressure for months to be transparent about his personal finances , mitt romney released his 2011 tax returns , revealing that he and his wife, ann, paid nearly 2 million in federal taxes, on an income of nearly 14 million, largely from investments, a tax rate of 1.4%, slightly more than they paid in 2010 . the average american middle class family pays roughly 13%.

>> he showed nearly 913 million through government interests.

>> reporter: last year, the romneys also donated more than four million to charity, including 3 million to the mormon church . but releasing the documents the campaign hopes to put to rest all the attention on romney 's personal wealth, and diffused the claims.

>> the word is out he has not paid any taxes difused

>> i pay all the taxes that are legally required and not a dollar more. i don't think you want somebody as the candidate for president who pays more taxes than he owes.

>> reporter: but in today's release, the campaign admitted that romney didn't claim nearly 2 million in deductions that he was entitled to, which experts say could have lowered his rate. this move allowed him to fulfill another campaign pledge that he never paid less than 13% in the last ten years other campaign pledge that he never paid more than 13% in the advisers deny the timing, late on a friday afternoon with few people paying attention was politically voted. one spokesperson said they were released because they were done. today, the campaign also posted a summary romney 's tax records, dating back to 1990 , but with no specific details but with no specific details.

>> it would be much better for

>> it would be much better for people to see it for themselves, for professionals to see it for themselves, whether or not the returns do substantiate his claims.

>> reporter: the romneys insist the issue is now closed. peter alexander , nbc news, las vegas .