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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

6180 Results
marijuana tax gross receipts tax

Voters in Four States to Vote on Recreational Marijuana

Legalizing recreational marijuana is a hot topic in many states where the state budgets are in disarray because of the coronavirus pandemic and new revenue sources are being sought.

7 min read
environmental tax policies, environmental taxation

Countries Eye Environmental Taxation

A recent OECD report on 2020 tax reforms reveals an increase in the number of environmentally-related tax policies, including gas taxes, carbon taxes, and taxes on electricity consumption.

5 min read

Designing a Global Minimum Tax with Full Expensing

The design and implementation of a global minimum tax is not simple and straightforward. There are dozens of challenging issues that policymakers will need to consider. So, when it comes to the way the minimum tax treats new investment, it seems clear that incorporating full expensing into the design would have significant benefits.

6 min read
Sweden's 2021 budget, Sweden 2021 permanent personal income tax cuts

Sweden’s 2021 Budget: Permanent Income Tax Cuts

Sweden’s 2021 budget outlines an aggressive plan to both cut income taxes in a permanent manner alongside multiple other tax cuts and spending increases

3 min read
Maryland alcohol tax, Maryland beer tax, Maryland wine tax

Maryland Lawmakers Look to Alcohol for New Revenue

While there are legitimate reasons for increasing and levying excise taxes, legislatures should proceed with caution in the aftermath of the pandemic. Importantly, revenue from increased excise taxes should generally be allocated to spending related to the negative externalities as that revenue is too volatile and unreliable to rely on for long-term budget priorities.

3 min read
Biden reward work not wealth in America, Biden reward hard work not wealth

How Should Wealth and Work Be Treated in the Tax Code?

Joe Biden recently released a piece reviewing his tax proposals, contrasting them with President Donald Trump’s tax ideas. A major theme within this piece can be summarized in the title: “A Tale of Two Tax Policies: Trump Rewards Wealth, Biden Rewards Work.”

4 min read
target property tax reforms, net wealth transfer taxes, property transfer taxes

More Countries Target the Property Tax

A recent OECD report reveals a tendency towards higher property taxes, often in the form of base broadening, tax rate increases, or both.

5 min read
EU budget tax EU tax, excise state of mind, excise tax trend to fill budget gaps

An Excise State of Mind

Even during a crisis when budgets are squeezed, policymakers should put their efforts into serious reforms of existing income and consumption taxes rather than leaving good tax policy behind for an excise state of mind.

6 min read

Biden’s Proposal Would Shift the Distribution of Retirement Tax Benefits

One of Biden’s tax proposals that has gotten little attention is a change that would shift the benefits of tax deferral in traditional retirement accounts toward lower- and middle-income earners. The plan would reduce the tax benefit for those earning above $80,250 but under $400,000, violating Biden’s tax pledge to not raise taxes on earners below the $400,000 threshold.

5 min read
President Trump tax plan and proposals second term

President Trump Outlines Second Term Tax Ideas

Broad themes of the president’s agenda include providing tax relief to individuals and tax credits to businesses that engage in desired activities, while the status of expiring TCJA provisions and tariffs seems uncertain.

4 min read
Biden Made in America manufacturing plan to boost R&D

Reviewing Joe Biden’s Tax Vision

Biden’s tax vision is twofold: higher taxes on high-income earners and businesses paired with more generous provisions for specific activities and households.

4 min read
The Sticks: Inflation Reduction Act’s Energy-Related Tax Increases

How the CARES Act Fixed a Tax Bias Against Green Investment

One under-discussed part of the CARES Act, passed in March to provide economic relief during the COVID-19 epidemic, is a correction to a drafting error in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, often known as the “retail glitch.”

3 min read