“The hardest thing in the world is to understand the income taxA tax is a mandatory payment or charge collected by local, state, and national governments from individuals or businesses to cover the costs of general government services, goods, and activities. .” — Albert Einstein
Every now and then, we are reminded that taxes can be complex and confusing, and understanding tax policy is an endeavor all its own. Even those of us who work at the Tax Foundation are not immune to this reality.
As our own Will McBride points out, “The current federal tax code…totals more than 6,000 pages and about 4 million words (plus about 15,000 pages of associated tax law interpretations).”
Add to that the growing lack of tax knowledge in classrooms, living rooms, and government chambers, and you are more likely to see political rhetoric trump facts and data in tax debates these days.
There is clearly much to improve in tax policy here in America and abroad, and that’s precisely why an educational nonprofit like the Tax Foundation exists: to lead the tax debate to smarter, simpler policy.
Thankfully, our educational efforts are already making an impact. And today, we are excited to share with you a newly enhanced tool that will improve accessibility to the very data, research, and experts that make us the world’s leading independent tax policy organization.
This new website will make it easier for policymakers, teachers, journalists, and everyday taxpayers to learn tax basics, access reliable tax data for fact-checking and research, explore analyses of current tax proposals, and connect with our leading policy experts.
Here are three tips for how to best utilize the new TaxFoundation.org.
1. Intuitive Navigation
Let’s start at the top, literally. On our new website, you can more easily access data and research right from the streamlined top navigation menu, along with a more efficient way to check the latest event schedule and engage with our policy experts. Meanwhile, you can still bookmark our popular tax blog, explore our educational resources, and learn more about the Tax Foundation’s mission.
2. Upgraded Search
Speaking of finding what you are looking for, our new website features upgraded search capabilities and filterable content libraries. You can search by keyword or phrase, or, if you are not sure where to begin, you can select from several popular searches or featured, trending issues.
Our new filtered search functionality, along with better-organized content, will allow you to find what you’re looking for by topic, category, author, date, and more. You can even search tax policies by presidential administration. Give it a try!
3. Streamlined Educational Resource Center:
Last, but certainly not least, make sure to explore our upgraded TaxEDU educational resource center. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, education is at the core of the Tax Foundation’s mission.
TaxEDU gives teachers the tools to make students better citizens, taxpayers a vocabulary to see through the rhetoric, lawmakers crash courses to write smarter laws, and videos and podcasts for anyone who wants to boost their tax knowledge on the go.
Now, all our TaxEDU resources—glossary terms, explainer videos, The Deduction podcast, legislative courses, educational primers, case studies, and lesson plans—are housed in one place for teachers and taxpayers alike to explore.
Stay informed on the tax policies impacting you.
Subscribe to get insights from our trusted experts delivered straight to your inbox.
Subscribe