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The Tax Foundation is the world’s leading independent tax policy 501(c)(3) nonprofit. For over 80 years, our mission has remained the same: to improve lives through tax policies that lead to greater economic growth and opportunity.

Our Center for Federal Tax PolicyCenter for State Tax Policy, and Center for Global Tax Policy each produce timely and high-quality research and analysis that influences the debate toward economically principled tax policies. Our experts are continuously analyzing the day’s most relevant tax policy topics and are relied upon routinely for presentations, testimony, and media appearances on tax issues spanning every level of government.

Likewise, providing journalists, taxpayers, and policymakers with basic data on taxes and spending has been a cornerstone of the Tax Foundation’s educational mission since its founding. As we wrote in our first edition of Facts & Figures in 1941, “Facts give a broader perspective; facts dissipate predilections and prejudices…[and are] an important step to meet the challenge presented by the broad problems of public finance.”

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2358 Results
Understanding Why Full Expensing Matters, Full expensing is also known as accelerated depreciation of capital investments, Learn more about accelerated cost recovery of investments.

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.

15 min read
2020 state individual income tax reliance 2020 state income tax reliance

To What Extent Does Your State Rely on Individual Income Taxes?

While the current crisis has caused consumption to drop dramatically, it is generally true that income taxes are more volatile than consumption taxes in an economic downturn and income taxes tend to be more harmful to economic growth than consumption taxes and property taxes.

3 min read
Tax Burden on Labor in the OECD, France Tax burden on labor, Spain tax burden on labor, Greece tax burden on labor, UK tax burden on labor, Austria tax burden on labor

A Comparison of the Tax Burden on Labor in the OECD, 2020

A higher tax burden on labor often leads to lower employment rates and wages. That’s important for policymakers to remember as they look for ways to help their economies recover from coronavirus-induced shutdowns. If their goal is to encourage employment, policies that lower the tax burden on labor could prove a powerful tool.

20 min read
State and local relief package, state and local government relief package amid coronavirus, business and government aid, coronavirus relief package, state revenue deficit, state budget deficit

Designing a State and Local Government Relief Package

The COVID-19 pandemic and accompanying economic downturn will wreak havoc on state and local tax revenues, with projections of a 15-20 percent decline in state revenues. Our new report provides a framework for how to design an effective state and local relief package.

35 min read
Business tangible personal property tax, business inventory tax, Alaska business tangible personal property tax, Texas business tangible personal property tax, Oklahoma business tangible personal property tax, Arkansas business tangible personal property tax, Louisiana business tangible personal property tax, Mississippi business tangible personal property tax, Georgia business tangible personal property tax, Kentucky business tangible personal property tax, West Virginia business tangible personal property tax, Virginia business tangible personal property tax, Maryland business tangible personal property tax, Michigan business tangible personal property tax, Massachusetts business tangible personal property tax, Vermont business tangible personal property tax

Does Your State Tax Business Inventory?

Inventory taxes are levied regardless of whether a business makes a profit, adding to the burden of businesses already struggling to stay afloat.

2 min read
State franchise tax, state franchise taxes, state capital stock tax, state capital stock taxes, Wyoming capital stock tax, Nebraska capital stock tax, Oklahoma capital stock tax, Arkansas capital stock tax, Louisiana capital stock tax, Mississippi capital stock tax, Tennessee capital stock tax, Alabama capital stock tax, Georgia capital stock tax, South Carolina capital stock tax, North Carolina capital stock tax, Illinois capital stock tax, New York capital stock tax, Delaware capital stock tax, Connecticut capital stock tax, Massachusetts capital stock tax

Does Your State Levy a Capital Stock Tax?

As many businesses may need time to return to profitability after this crisis, states should prioritize reducing reliance on capital stock taxes, and shift toward more neutral forms of business taxation.

4 min read
Which states have a gross receipts tax? State gross receipts tax, state gross receipts tax, Washington state gross receipts tax, Washington gross receipts tax, Oregon gross receipts tax, Nevada gross receipts tax, Texas gross receipts tax, Tennessee gross receipts tax, Ohio gross receipts tax, Delaware gross receipts tax

Gross Receipts Taxes by State, 2020

While it’s unclear how soon state economies may be able to fully open again, it’s not too early for states to consider how they can remove barriers to businesses & consumers resuming activity.

3 min read
payroll tax cut, payroll taxes

Can States Close Budget Deficits with Excise Tax Hikes?

We examine whether excise taxes are a solution to budget deficits, and while the short answer to that question is no, there are of course nuances. Excise taxes can play a role in state revenues even as policymakers appreciate that excise taxes are not viable long-term revenue tools for general spending priorities.

21 min read
state pensions. How well-funded are pension plans in your state? State public pension funding, state pension plan funding, pension plan crisis, pension plan underfunded

How Well-Funded Are Pension Plans in Your State?

The current crisis highlights the cost of underfunding pensions in years of economic growth. Twenty states have pension plans that were less than two-thirds funded, and five states had pension plans that were less than 50 percent funded.

3 min read
Restructure child tax credi restructure earned income tax credit

The Child Tax Credit: Primer

The Child Tax Credit (CTC) is a partially-refundable tax credit available to parents with qualifying dependents under the age of 17. Like other tax credits, the CTC reduces tax liability dollar-for-dollar of the value of the credit.

25 min read
depreciation Capital allowances and capital cost recovery across OECD countries, 2021. Learn more about capital allowance and capital recovery.

Capital Cost Recovery across the OECD, 2020

Although sometimes overlooked in discussions about corporate taxation, capital cost recovery plays an important role in defining a business’s tax base and can impact investment decisions—with far-reaching economic consequences.

27 min read

State Rainy Day Funds and the COVID-19 Crisis

State revenue stabilization funds, often called rainy day funds, are better funded now than they were at the start of the Great Recession and can be a valuable tool as states face a sharp pandemic-linked economic contraction.

18 min read