NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs will not delay annual staff bonus payments to take advantage of a forthcoming fall in the UK top rate of income tax, a person familiar with the matter said.

Goldman prompted a political row in Britain after sources said it might delay bonus payments to staff until after April 6, when the top rate of income tax falls to 45 percent from 50 percent.

Delaying the payment had been under consideration and the decision was made on Tuesday not to do so, the source said.

(Reporting by Lauren Tara LaCapra. Editing by Jane Merriman)