Post-Election Analysis: Trump’s Tax Plans and Economic Impact
Join hosts Kyle Hulehan and Erica York in this episode of The Deduction as they break down the US tax policy implications of Donald Trump’s next presidential term.
Welcome to The Deduction, a Tax Foundation podcast and your guide to the complicated world of tax and economics.
From the impacts of tariffs and trade wars to debates over who pays and how much, each episode, our experts untangle another aspect of the tax code.
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New Year, New Taxes
Erica York, senior economist at the Tax Foundation, joins Jesse to discuss how the book minimum tax came to be, if it will really stop companies from paying zero in taxes, if the new Republican House will revisit this debate, and what the tax’s impact will be on jobs and economic growth.
All I Want for Christmas is EU: Understanding Tax Policy in Brussels
When it comes to international economic competition, people often frame the argument as the U.S. versus China. But across the Atlantic, nation-states in the European Union have been working hard to show the world that they deserve to be considered an economic force. Rising up to this challenge for the EU is easier said than done.
Meet Daniel Bunn (again), Tax Foundation’s New President & CEO
Tax Foundation recently announced that Daniel Bunn is our new president and CEO. In this special episode of The Deduction, Daniel chats with Jesse about how he got into tax policy. They discuss his time in the Senate, his plans for Tax Foundation’s future, and even his obsession with smoking meats.
Post-Election Breakdown
The 2022 midterm elections are wrapping up, and taxpayers are looking at a divided Congress for the next two years. Senior Policy Analyst Garrett Watson sits down with Jesse to give a quick analysis of what these elections mean for tax policy.
The UK’s Tax Battles, Part One: How We Got Here
This episode of The Deduction is part one in our ongoing coverage of the UK’s tax battles. Jesse chats with Tom Clougherty, research director and head of tax at the Centre for Policy Studies in London about what went down in the UK this fall: from the leadership elections to the countless U-turns the new prime minister has made to try and reform the country’s tax code.
The Woes of Temporary Tax Policy
From the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017 to the Inflation Reduction Act, signed into law just this summer, lawmakers across the political spectrum are often tempted to implement temporary tax reforms. Garrett Watson joins Jesse to discuss the pros and cons of writing tax laws that have an end date and why we find ourselves having a debate at the end of each year about so many temporary provisions.
Unpacking the State and Local Tax Toolkit
Maine has blueberry taxes. Alabama has mosquito taxes. Each state and county has its tax quirks. But when state and local governments want to raise revenues, there are four key taxes they turn to.
Accounting for the New Book Minimum Tax
The Inflation Reduction Act includes a book minimum tax, which is raising the eyebrows of accountants everywhere. Scott Dyreng, a professor of accounting at Duke University, and Daniel Bunn join Jesse to discuss how these minimum taxes work and how companies aim to comply with all these new complex rules and tax increases.
IRS Funding and Technology
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) finds itself under fire often. Outdated technology, millions of unanswered calls, and cafeterias full of paper returns—it’s clear that America’s tax collector needs improvement. Jesse is joined by Courtney Kay-Decker and Jared Ballew, chair and vice chair (respectively) of the Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC). They discuss ETAAC’s annual report that lays out what the IRS is doing right, and what it’s doing wrong, as the agency continues to see its duties grow.
House Votes on the Inflation Reduction Act
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The Inflation Reduction Act, What to Know
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Windfall Profits Taxes?
Oil prices have skyrocketed, posing a new risk to the post-pandemic recovery. Feeling the pressure to respond, policymakers have proposed everything from gas tax holidays, tapping into strategic reserves, and even rebate cards. One idea that has crawled back from the dead: “Windfall Profits Taxes.” This idea is seemingly simple: legislation targeted at the “excess” profits of oil companies. However, as with anything in tax policy, the reality is much more complicated.
Clean Up on the Grocery Tax Aisle
Amidst soaring inflation, policymakers across the political spectrum proposed many ideas to soften the blow of higher prices–especially for low-income workers and families. One idea that caught on quickly: sales tax relief on groceries. The idea had its merits, but Tax Foundation research shows that it may have missed the mark.
Pondering Property Taxes
Property taxes are highly unpopular and can get extremely confusing. But when done right, they can be quite good. We talk through what a well structured property tax should look like, which states have good property tax structures in place and which ones don’t, and how these taxes impact a state’s competitiveness in an increasingly mobile economy.
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States’ Taxes Go Flat
In more than 100 years of state income taxes, only four states have ever moved from a graduated-rate income tax to a flat tax. Another four may adopt flat tax legislation just this year. We discuss what flat taxes are, what they mean for taxpayers, and why so many states are making a push for them this year.
Biden’s Budget Battle
In a letter to lawmakers, the 46th President said that his $5.8 trillion budget package would “[grow] our economy, while ensuring that the wealthiest Americans and the biggest corporations begin to pay their fair share.” We break down what the President is proposing for this upcoming fiscal year and what its impact would be on the U.S. economy in the face of record-high inflation.
Let’s Make a Global Tax Deal
Late last year, over 130 countries agreed to a global minimum tax, a purported end-all and be-all to the “race to the bottom.” But this policy is complex, and countries are already struggling to implement these new rules. We talk through how this policy came to be, identify where problems are beginning to arise, and dispel some common myths about this emerging new tax system.