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Evaluating U.S. Tax Reform Options & Trade-Offs

The economic crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic poses a triple challenge for tax policy in the United States. Lawmakers are tasked with crafting a policy response that will accelerate the economic recovery, reduce the mounting deficit, and protect the most vulnerable.

To assist lawmakers in navigating the challenge, and to help the American public understand the tax changes being proposed, the Tax Foundation’s Center for Federal Tax Policy modeled how 70 potential changes to the tax code would affect the U.S. economy, distribution of the tax burden, and federal revenue.

In tax policy there is an ever-present trade-off among how much revenue a tax will raise, who bears the burden of a tax, and what impact a tax will have on economic growth. Armed with the information in our new book, Options for Reforming America’s Tax Code 2.0, policymakers can debate the relative merits and trade-offs of each option to improve the tax code in a post-pandemic world.

Biden minimum tax on foreign earnings Biden approach to taxing corporate income Us tariffs on french goods in response to france digital services tax

Digital Taxes, Meet Handbag Tariffs

The USTR announced new tariffs in response to the French digital services tax of 25% on $1.3 billion worth of goods. The tariffs would apply to several make-up products, handbags, and assorted soaps.

1 min read

Non-Profit Files Lawsuit over Withholding Requirements in Ohio

As work increasingly takes place in home offices, states will have to grapple with the revenue implications, and may find it necessary to adopt policies to better compete with outlying areas. Taxing people in places in which they no longer work, however, will not be the solution.

3 min read

Improved Cost Recovery Is A Wide-Ranging Policy Solution

Rather than limit improvements to certain sectors, lawmakers could pursue a broader policy of full expensing for all capital investment and neutral cost recovery for structures and clear the tax policy hurdles that currently stand in the way of private investment.

3 min read
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FAQ on Neutral Cost Recovery and Expensing

Cost recovery is the way the tax code permits firms to recover (or deduct) the cost of making investments. Cost recovery plays an important role in defining a business’ taxable income and can impact investment decisions.

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Phase 4 Is not the Time to Experiment with Temporary Credits

As lawmakers consider returning to the tax code as a tool to revive a struggling economy with high unemployment and an unpredictable virus, they should avoid temporary changes that can be distortive in the short term and inefficient in the long term.

4 min read
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Decades in Corporate Taxation

Corporate taxation has evolved significantly, with rates coming down significantly over the last several decades. Countries have redesigned their tax bases by changing the treatment of losses, interest, and capital costs. A recent OECD report highlights the general stabilization of corporate tax revenues and statutory rates alongside major changes to address profit-shifting opportunities.

4 min read
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Tax Policy Proposals for the German EU Presidency

While much of Germany’s EU presidency agenda is focused on policies to ensure economic stability and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s a pair of tax proposals that the country is planning to develop and move forward at the EU level: a financial transaction tax and a minimum effective tax.

5 min read