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.
Weighing the Value of Tax Credits During an Economic Crisis
One idea under consideration is adjusting existing tax credits, such as the Child Tax Credit (CTC) or Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), to provide financial relief during the crisis.
5 min readState Aid Provisions of the Federal Coronavirus Response Bill
To be eligible for federal funding, state expenditures must meet certain conditions. We break down the state aid coronavirus provisions in the latest federal bill.
5 min readWorking from Home Brings Greater Exposure to State Tax Codes
During the present crisis, remote work has become a necessity for many people. The tax implications, however, are very real and potentially quite complex.
7 min readWhat Happens with State Excise Tax Revenues During a Pandemic?
States will have to consider the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their excise tax revenues, including from gas taxes, tobacco taxes, and alcohol taxes.
7 min readTracking Economic Relief Plans Around the World during the Coronavirus Outbreak
Countries around the world are implementing emergency tax measures to support their economies under the coronavirus (COVID-19) threat.
51 min readAustralia’s COVID-19 Support Focuses on Grants to Individuals and Small Businesses
In contrast to the sweeping economic relief plan being considered by the U.S. Congress, the approach taken by the Australian government is much more targeted to supporting individuals and small to medium-sized businesses.
2 min readNorway Opens the Fiscal Toolbox
Norway passed a large coronavirus tax relief package to address layoffs and bankruptcies, which includes a reduced VAT rate, the introduction of a loss carryback provision, and targeted postponements for wealth tax payments, among other provisions.
5 min readReview and Analysis of House Democrats Coronavirus Response Bill
The proposed Take Responsibility for Workers and Families Act can be contrasted with the Senate Republican CARES Act, although they share some similarities by providing individual taxpayers with a rebate and modifying business tax provisions to provide liquidity for struggling firms.
5 min readWhat Should Coronavirus Response Legislation Look Like?
As lawmakers debate how to respond to the coronavirus crisis, they should focus the legislative response to the emergency at hand, using principled policy solutions to provide relief to those affected. Attempts to use the crisis to make other, unrelated policy changes should be avoided.
3 min read