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.

Financial Transaction Tax Could Hit Average Spanish
Spain is planning to implement two major taxes during the next few months, a digital services tax and a financial transaction tax, which have the potential to negatively impact capital formation, growth, and economic recovery and start a harmful trade war.
5 min read
Hungarian COVID-19 Response: Surtax for Banks and Retail
Hungary is the only EU state to have actually implemented COVID-19 tax hikes.
3 min read
Attracting Manufacturing to the U.S. Should Start with Neutral Tax Treatment, Not Subsidies
Before considering industry-specific laws and subsidies for onshoring, policymakers should make sure the U.S. tax code is not biased against domestic investment in the first place.
4 min read

Biden’s Plan to Boost Research and Development Should Include Cancellation of Upcoming R&D Amortization
As concern over American competitiveness and onshoring of innovative activity increases, presidential candidates and policymakers should keep in mind the tax increases scheduled to take effect in the coming years, including the amortization of R&D and phaseout of the broader expensing provisions.
3 min read
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
Peruvian “Solidarity Tax” Unlikely to Offset Deficit Spending
While it is important that Peru find ways to offset its deficit spending, a temporary wealth tax may introduce more problems than it solves.
5 min read
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.