Tracking the 2021 Biden Tax Plan and Federal Tax Proposals
Taxes are once again at the forefront of the public policy debate as legislators grapple with how to fund new infrastructure spending, among other priorities. Our tax tracker helps you stay up-to-date as new tax plans emerge from the Biden administration and Congress.
1 min read
Expensing Is Infrastructure, Too
The Biden administration has suggested several tax increases for his infrastructure plan. Public infrastructure can help increase economic growth, but by raising taxes on private investment, the net effect on growth may be negative. However, tax options like retaining expensing for private R&D investment or making 100 percent bonus depreciation for equipment permanent would be complementary to the goals of infrastructure spending.
5 min read
House and Senate Proposals Would Make Incremental Reforms to Retirement Savings
While falling short of comprehensively reforming the complex U.S. retirement savings system, House and Senate lawmakers have proposed bipartisan bills to help simplify and expand access to retirement savings accounts to more workers.
4 min read
Banning Tobacco Flavors Could Prove Costly for D.C.
Early signs indicate that flavors bans will not decrease tobacco consumption. It is not in the interest of the District of Columbia to pursue a public health measure that merely sends tax revenue to its neighboring jurisdictions without improving public health.
3 min read
Combined Effect of a Higher Corporate Rate and Permanent Bonus Depreciation
The negative effects of President Biden’s proposed 28 percent corporate income tax rate could be tempered by improving how the corporate income tax base treats investment expenses.
4 min read
Carve-ins and Carve-outs: Open Questions for Global Tax Reform
There has been some confusion about how some parts of the recent G7 agreement on new tax rules for multinational companies might work. The new policies would target the largest and most profitable multinationals and bring in a global minimum tax.
5 min read
Louisiana Fiscal Session Finishes Strong with Tax Reform
It took until the last day of the session, but Louisiana lawmakers succeeded in passing a tax reform package Thursday that would simplify a complicated tax code and make the state more economically competitive.
4 min read
Who Bears the Burden of Corporation Taxation? A Review of Recent Evidence
The Biden administration has pledged to not raise taxes on anyone earning less than $400,000 a year. However, the administration’s corporate tax proposals would likely violate that pledge, given that corporations are comprised of people who also might earn less than $400,000.
3 min read
Infrastructure Funding for Highways Digs into Issues of Outdated Taxes and Narrow Bases
As spending priorities are dividing lawmakers trying to negotiate among the various federal infrastructure plans, less time is being spent on the funding of one of the key components—our highways, both current and future taxes and fees. One of the current taxes, a federal excise tax on heavy commercial vehicles and trailers, is an important revenue generator, but its flawed tax design has a negative impact on investment and leads to unstable revenue.
4 min read
Broad-Based Taxes on Consumption and User Fees Are Efficient Ways to Raise Federal Revenue for Infrastructure
Rather than relying on damaging corporate tax hikes, policymakers should consider user fees and consumption taxes as options for financing new infrastructure to ensure that a compromise does not end up being a net negative for the U.S. economy.
2 min read