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Erica York Tax Foundation
Expert

Erica York

Senior Economist, Research Director

Erica York is Senior Economist and Research Director with Tax Foundation’s Center for Federal Tax Policy. She previously worked as an auditor at a large community bank in Kansas and interned at Tax Foundation’s Center for State Tax Policy.

Her analysis has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Politico, and other national and international media outlets. She holds a master’s degree in Economics from Wichita State University and an undergraduate degree in Business Administration and Economics from Sterling (KS) College, where she is currently an adjunct professor. Erica lives in Kansas with her husband and their two children.

Latest Work

Bernie Sanders CEO Pay Act, Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act, Bernie Sanders CEO tax Work Opportunity Tax Credit WOTC, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF) Sherrod Brown, Ben Cardin

A CEO Tax Is the Wrong Way to Help Workers

In an effort to rein in perceived excesses in executive compensation, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and other co-sponsors have proposed to increase a company’s corporate income tax rate progressively based on the difference between median worker pay and CEO pay.

4 min read
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A Neutral Tax Code Counts Unemployment Compensation as Taxable Income

Since 1987, unemployment compensation benefits have been subject to federal income tax and, in most states, to state income tax. According to the Congressional Research Service, such treatment—including unemployment compensation benefits in taxable income—is common across industrial nations.

4 min read
Inflation Reduction Act stock buyback tax Making the expanded child tax credit permanent American Rescue Plan Act. House Democrats covid plan. House Ways and Means coronavirus relief legislation. House Ways and Means committee coronavirus relief legislation. Ways and Means Chairman Richard E. Neal coronavirus relief package. New coronavirus relief bill summary, Stimulus check round 2, unemployment benefits

Making the Expanded Child Tax Credit Permanent Would Cost Nearly $1.6 Trillion

As the Biden administration and Congress consider making the expanded child tax credit permanent, a nearly $1.6 trillion expansion of tax code-administered benefits, they should consider financing it in a way that doesn’t create significant headwinds to economic recovery.

3 min read
State tax burden map, state and local tax burden, state-local tax burden rankings, 2021 state tax burden rankings, state tax burdens map

State and Local Tax Burdens, Calendar Year 2019

New Yorkers faced the highest burden, with 14.1 percent of income in the state going to state and local taxes. Connecticut (12.8 percent) and Hawaii (12.7 percent) followed.

19 min read
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Modeling Different Proposals for Round Three Direct Payments

President Biden is calling for a third round of economic impact payments to households as part of his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. Under the plan, the payments would be $1,400 per person, topping off the recent round of $600 payments for a combined $2,000 per person. Senate Republicans have proposed payment amounts of $1,000 per individual and $500 per dependent, lower income thresholds, and faster phaseout rates.

5 min read
Federal cigarette tax harm reduction efforts, federal cigarette tax proposal House Democrats tobacco tax New Year's Resolutions for tax policymakers. New Year's Resolutions for tax policy

Three New Year’s Resolutions for Tax Policymakers

The world is ready to close the book on 2020 and start fresh in 2021, awaiting widespread vaccination, an end to the pandemic, and the beginning of a new chapter of economic recovery. With a fresh start in mind, and a healthy dose of optimism, here are three New Year’s resolutions for crafting better tax policy in the coming year.

2 min read
What is a Tax Refund? Why do I get a tax refund? How much do I owe in taxes? Advance Child Tax Credit Payments IRS Tax Refund Where's my refund? Tax Refund calculator, How much will my tax refund be? Tax withholding calculator, How much taxes did I pay? Form 1040 and W2 IRS tax withholding estimator tool

COVID-19 Relief Package FAQ

The latest $900 billion coronavirus relief bill extends and modifies several provisions first enacted in the CARES Act, Congress’s $2.2 trillion pandemic relief law that was passed in March. With this package, lawmakers will have responded to the coronavirus and related economic hardship with a record-setting $3 trillion of fiscal support.

14 min read
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Tax Extenders Hitch a Ride on Omnibus and COVID-19 Relief Deal

Tax extenders are no stranger to hitching a last-minute ride on year-end legislation. This year they made another last-minute appearance, finding a hold in their own division of the 5,593-page bill to fund the government through the fiscal year and provide additional coronavirus relief through March.

2 min read