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Tax Policy Blog

Stay informed with quick and accessible analysis of today's top tax policy topics. Read Tax Foundation's Tax Policy Blog for insight from our experts on tax policies across the U.S. and abroad.

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Blog Articles

6146 Results
Australia budget 2021 to 2022 Australia budget tax proposals and Australia tax proposals in new budget lessons from down under

Tax Policy Lessons from Down Under

This week the Australian government released its latest budget proposal and two policies that stand out in its fiscal response to the pandemic should be helpful as the economic engine of the country turns back on. The first is full expensing for some investments and the second is the introduction of a loss carryback provision. The new budget takes both these temporary policies and extends them into 2023.

2 min read
Federal tobacco tax proposal state taxes Build Back Better Act Biden American Families Plan proposal to tax unrealized capital gains at death, taxing unrealized gains death proposal, capital gains at death policies tax refund tax refunds tax cut 2018 tax season tax filing

Taxing Unrealized Capital Gains at Death Is Unlikely to Raise Revenue Advertised

As part of the tax proposals in President Biden’s American Families Plan, unrealized capital gains over $1 million would be taxed at death. However, this policy would likely raise less revenue than advocates expect after considering the proposal’s impact on taxpayer behavior, including capital gains realizations, and historical capital gains and estate tax revenue collections.

5 min read
LIFO tax treatment of inventory LIFO repeal US supply chain resiliency Biden small business taxes Biden tax plan small business impact Investments in long-lived assets, such as structures, must be deducted over long cost recovery periods: up to 27.5 years (for residential buildings) or 39 years (for nonresidential buildings), cost recovery of buildings.

Many Small Businesses Could Be Impacted by Biden Corporate Tax Proposals

Policymakers should recognize that corporate tax hikes will not only impact large firms, but many smaller and younger firms as well. Considering that many of these smaller firms are significant contributors to net job growth, raising corporate taxes at this time would not be conducive for a speedy economic recovery.

2 min read
US Treasury state tax cuts limitation rule American Rescue Plan Act state and local fiscal recovery funds American Rescue Plan state tax cuts rule

Treasury Rule on State Tax Cuts Limitation Raises New Questions

Today, the U.S. Treasury issued an interim final rule on the $350 billion in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds provided under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The proposed rule resolves several important questions but continues to involve the federal government in state finances at an extraordinary level.

7 min read
OECD Pillar 1 Amount A proposal OECD Secretariat, OECD unified approach pillar 1, OECD pillar 1, OECD international tax, OECD unified approach digital tax, OECD multinational businesses, OECD digital tax

Recent Analysis Explores Pillar 1 Risks and the Potential for Disputes

As countries move closer to agreement on how the OECD Pillar 1 Amount A will work and which companies will be impacted by it, it is incredibly important for policymakers to continue to evaluate not just the intended effects but also the potential unintended consequences.

6 min read
Evaluating Options to Help Low-Income Households Lift After-Tax Incomes

Evaluating Options to Help Low-Income Households

While strong economic growth—fueled by higher levels of investment, productivity, and jobs—will lift after-tax incomes over time, policies that provide relief by immediately boosting after-tax incomes of lower-income households are also available. As lawmakers consider such policies, they should keep in mind the trade-offs among them.

4 min read
American Jobs Plan Tax Biden Infrastructure Plan Details and Analysis Tax Foundation

Tax Policy in the First 100 Days of the Biden Administration

In his first 100 days as president, Joe Biden has proposed more than a dozen significant changes to the U.S. tax code that would raise upwards of $3 trillion in revenue and reduce incentives to invest, save, and work in the United States.

4 min read
Kansas sales tax groceries Kansas tax reform bill veto override

Kansas Lawmakers to Consider Veto Override on Tax Reform Bill

Kansas has the revenue cushion it needs to provide tax relief to individuals and businesses and improve the structure of its tax code in the process. These pro-growth reforms would not only help taxpayers amid the pandemic but would also promote economic recovery and growth in a state that is lagging behind its competitors.

7 min read
New Orleans Louisiana

Louisiana Aims at Comprehensive Tax Reform

While many of the tax proposals work in tandem, some conflicts continue to exist. If lawmakers were able to repeal federal deductibility, reduce income tax rates, finish the job on inventory taxation, and phase out the capital stock tax, this would represent a marked improvement in the state’s tax climate, eliminating several of the most uncompetitive features of the current code.

6 min read
Biden capital gains tax rates, Biden capital gains tax proposal. Compare combined capital gains rates under Biden tax plan fv3-01

Top Combined Capital Gains Tax Rates Would Average 48 Percent Under Biden’s Tax Plan

The top federal rate on capital gains would be 43.4 percent under Biden’s tax plan (when including the net investment income tax). Rates would be even higher in many U.S. states due to state and local capital gains taxes, leading to a combined average rate of over 48 percent compared to about 29 percent under current law.

3 min read
Raising the corporate rate would reduce GDP by $720 billion Tax Foundation analysis. More on Biden’s proposal to increase the corporate tax rate to 28 percent (higher corporate income tax impact)

Raising the Corporate Rate to 28 Percent Reduces GDP by $720 Billion Over Ten Years

The Options guide presents the economic effects we estimate would occur in the long term, or 20 to 30 years from now, but we can also use our model to show the cumulative effects of the policy change—providing more context, for instance, about how the effects of a higher corporate income tax rate compound over time, which we estimate would reduce GDP by a cumulative $720 billion over the next 10 years.

4 min read