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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

6153 Results
Who Shoulders the Burden of Federal Income Taxes? high-income earners, high-income taxpayers, progressive tax system, federal income tax, income inequality, wealth tax

Under the HEROES Act, State Budgets Could Soar as the Economy Suffers

The HEROES Act, proposed by House Democrats as a next round of fiscal relief during the coronavirus outbreak, contains about $1.08 trillion in aid to states and localities. That would bring the pandemic total to $1.63 trillion—an amount so large that it might overwhelm their ability to spend it and could reward fiscal irresponsibility.

8 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.

Reducing the Bias Against Long-term Investments

Other countries have shown that providing deductions in line with invested capital costs can have positive impacts both on investment and on debt bias.

7 min read

Watch: Coronavirus: A Path to Economic Recovery

What challenges should we expect to face as the U.S. economy begins to re-open? When is the right time for legislators to start focusing on long-term recovery vs. short-term needs? What policies should federal legislators pursue to clear a path to recovery?

1 min read
White House considers capital gains tax cut, neutral cost recovery, full expensing amid coronavirus economic relief options, coronavirus business relief

White House Considers Neutral Cost Recovery for Structures

When considering long-term policies for increasing long-run levels of investment and economic growth, full expensing and neutral cost recovery are better targeted than policies like a capital gains cut.

6 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

Chaos to the Left of Me. Chaos to the Right of me.

The OECD recently announced that the negotiation timeline for new digital tax proposals has now been pushed back to October due to the COVID-19 pandemic, although the end-of-year deadline for the overall project is still in place.

5 min read
Virginia local option sales tax

April 24th Afternoon State Tax Update

Virginia enacted a biennial budget, which includes a new excise tax on “skill games.” Meanwhile, Arizona and Connecticut announced plans to convene in special sessions later this year while Oklahoma gets the green light to use rainy day fund money to close budget gaps.

4 min read
windfall profits tax windfall tax excess profits tax windfall taxes definition oil prices

Historic Oil Price Burns Hole in State Budgets

Alaska and North Dakota collect revenue primarily from oil-related taxes. These states must start thinking about how to plan for an era of reduced oil revenue.

5 min read

Louisiana Can Look to Tax Reform for Aid in a Post-Coronavirus Recovery

As states look for a path out of these fiscally troubling times, Louisiana has several options for aspects of its tax code to promote economic recovery and growth. The Pelican State’s federal deductibility, Corporation Franchise Tax, and sales tax structure present opportunities for beneficial tax reform in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

3 min read

Watch: State Tax Policy and COVID-19

What could the next phase of relief look like and what role does tax policy play in ensuring the U.S. and countries around the world make a strong economic recovery?

1 min read
American Rescue Plan state tax cuts treasury clarification on American Rescue Plan ban on state tax cuts. Treasury minimum tax on current minimum tax on foreign profits of U.S. companies

New Guidance on State Aid Under the CARES Act

The U.S. Department of the Treasury recently issued new guidance on allowable expenses using the $150 billion in state aid provided under the CARES Act, a point on which there has been considerable confusion.

3 min read