Garrett Watson

The U.S. Tax Burden on Labor, 2020

Although the U.S. has a progressive tax system and a relatively low tax burden compared to the OECD average, average-wage workers still pay about 30 percent of their wages in taxes.

Advancing Net Operating Loss Deductions in Phase 4 Business Relief

Policymakers will have to consider design options for accelerating NOL deductions to ensure the refunds are simple, provide targeted relief to struggling firms, and are consistent with long-run revenue needs.

Senate Passes Additional Funding for Small Business Relief, But Questions Remain on the Deductibility of PPP Expenses

The sooner federal policymakers or regulators clarify tax questions about the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the more certainty firms will have when they accept the economic relief to keep their businesses afloat.

A Review of Net Operating Loss Tax Provisions in the CARES Act and Next Steps for Phase 4 Relief

In addition to providing economic relief to individuals and loans to businesses struggling during the coronavirus crisis, the CARES Act changed several tax provisions to increase liquidity to ensure firms survive a large decline in cash flow.

Federal Coronavirus Relief: CARES Act FAQ

Congress recently passed the largest economic relief bill in American history (CARES Act). We’ve created a FAQ portal to better inform policymakers, journalists, and taxpayers across the country on the new law.

A History and Analysis of Payroll Tax Holidays

As Congress and the White House consider ways to shore up the economy in the face of a public health crisis, President Trump has suggested suspending the entire payroll tax for the duration of the year. That would cost about $950 billion, according to our analysis.

Congress Approves Economic Relief Plan for Individuals and Businesses

The CARES Act, now signed into law, is intended to be a third round of federal government support in the wake of the coronavirus public health crisis and associated economic fallout, following the $8.3 billion in public health support passed two weeks ago and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.

Review and Analysis of House Democrats Coronavirus Response Bill

The proposed Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act can be contrasted with the Senate Republican CARES Act, although they share some similarities by providing individual taxpayers with a rebate and modifying business tax provisions to provide liquidity for struggling firms.

Tax Options for Economic Relief During the Coronavirus Crisis

Instead of simply reaching for fiscal stimulus with the goal of increasing economic activity, tax policy changes can give vulnerable individuals and businesses additional liquidity and space to survive the reduction in economic activity needed in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

Georgia’s Proposal to Extend the Local Rental Car Excise Tax onto Peer-to-Peer Car Sharing is the Wrong Approach

Analysis of Democratic Presidential Candidate Individual Income Tax Proposals

Joe Biden and Bernie Sanders have each proposed changes to the individual income tax, one of the largest sources of federal revenue. Our new analysis compares the economic, revenue, and distributional effects of the various proposals.

Comparing the Growth and Income-Boosting Effects of Tax Reform Options

As policymakers evaluate changes to the tax code, such as proposals coming from presidential candidates and the White House, it will be important for them to evaluate the relative effects of various provisions. According to our analysis, making full expensing permanent would be one of the most efficient ways to increase after-tax incomes for the middle class.

Marginal Tax Rates on Labor Income in the U.S. After the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

The White House Budget Highlights the Need to Extend Pro-Growth TCJA Business Tax Provisions

Full expensing, if made permanent, would be one of the most cost-effective ways to increase growth as it would produce about 4.5 times more GDP growth per dollar of revenue than making the law’s individual tax provisions permanent, according to our analysis.

Analysis of Democratic Presidential Candidate Payroll Tax Proposals

Several 2020 Democratic presidential candidates have proposed changes to federal payroll tax rates and the Social Security payroll tax wage base to raise revenue and maintain solvency for major federal entitlement programs.

Combined State and Federal Corporate Income Tax Rates in 2020

Gig Economy Workers Get Boost from New IRS Dedicated Tax Center

As Tax Filing Season Begins, Taxpayers Prepare for 2020 Federal Tax Changes

Biden’s Minimum Book Income Tax Proposal Would Create Needless Complexity

Two Years After Passage, Treasury Regulations for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Surpass 1,000 Pages

Treasury released final regulations on the base erosion and anti-abuse tax (BEAT), which is meant to dissuade firms from engaging in profit shifting abroad. Other high-profile releases from 2019 include final regulations guiding enforcement of Section 199A, commonly known as the pass-through deduction; final regulations on enforcing the new tax on global intangible low-tax income (GILTI); and final regulations on state-level workarounds to the $10,000 limit on the state and local tax deduction (SALT).