Taxes, Fiscal Policy, and Inflation
Consumer prices rose by 7 percent in 2021, the highest annual rate of inflation since 1982. Where did this inflation come from and what might its impacts be? Tax and fiscal policy offer important clues.
5 min read
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State Tax Changes Effective January 1, 2022
Twenty-one states and D.C. had significant tax changes take effect on January 1, including five states that cut individual income taxes and four states that saw corporate income tax rates decrease.
17 min read
Tracking 2021 Election Results: State Tax Ballot Measures
Through 10 ballot measures across four states—Colorado, Louisiana, Texas, and Washington—voters will decide significant questions of state tax policy.
7 min read
Proposed Top Combined Marginal Capital Gains Tax Rate Would Be Third-Highest in OECD
Under the new Build Back Better framework, the United States would tax capital gains at the third-highest top marginal rate among rich nations, averaging nearly 37 percent.
1 min read
Lawmakers Consider Untested and Complex Policies to Fund Reconciliation Bill
Congress is debating new ways to raise revenue that would make the tax code more complex and more difficult to administer. The new proposals—imposing an alternative minimum tax on corporate book income, applying an excise tax on stock buybacks, and, at one point this week, a tax on unrealized capital gains for billionaires—are unreliable and highly complex ways to raise revenue.
10 min read
The Rich Are Not Monolithic and Taxing Their Wealth Invites Tax Collection Volatility
Congressional Democrats are reported to be weighing a special tax on the assets of billionaires to raise revenues to pay for their Build Back Better spending plan. There are two fundamental challenges to such a plan.
8 min read
Washington Voters to Weigh in on New Capital Gains Income Tax
On May 4th, Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signed legislation creating a 7 percent capital gains tax, to take effect next year. On November 2nd, Washington lawmakers will learn what voters think about it.
5 min read
History of Attempted Changes to Step-Up in Basis Shows Perilous Road Ahead
As Congress considers President Biden’s proposal to tax unrealized capital gains at death, the history of previous efforts suggests it faces a perilous road ahead. Lawmakers must resolve tricky design and implementation details that derailed past attempts to change how capital gains are treated when assets are passed from one generation to the next.
4 min read
Tax on Stock Buybacks a Misguided Way to Encourage Investment
Research shows that a tax on stock buybacks would not be the right policy solution to encourage long-term investment or lift wages.
3 min read
Wyden’s Financial Services Tax Proposals Would Put “Mark-to-Market” to the Test
Mark-to-market is not simple to implement, as it involves new administrative and compliance challenges for taxpayers. Mark-to-market levies tax on phantom income, requiring some taxpayers to engage in some degree of liquidation, ultimately suppressing incentives to save and invest. The limited tax revenues that could result from these proposals are not worth the risk.
5 min read
How Biden’s Business Tax Proposals Would Impact Taxpayers Across States
The Biden administration has targeted U.S. businesses, including corporations and passthrough entities, to raise revenue to fund new spending. However, individual taxpayers across America will end up footing the bill.
4 min read
New Research Suggests Estimates of Wealth Inequality Likely Overstated
New research from Federal Reserve Bank of Boston economists suggests wealth inequality has grown less than previously estimated and that shares of wealth held by top earners drops significantly when accounting for sources of lower- and middle-class wealth that are often overlooked.
2 min read
Biden’s Top Marginal Capital Gains Tax Rate Would Be Highest in OECD
President Biden’s proposal to tax capital gains at higher, ordinary income tax rates would lead the U.S. to have the highest top marginal tax rate on capital gains in the OECD.
2 min read
The Impact of the Biden Administration’s Tax Proposals by State and Congressional District
The redistribution of income from the Biden administration’s tax proposals would involve many winners and losers, not only across different types of taxpayers but also geographically across the country. Launch our new interactive map to see average tax changes by state and congressional district over the budget window from 2022 to 2031.
8 min read
Details and Analysis of President Biden’s FY 2022 Budget Proposals
Explore President Biden budget proposals, including tax and spending in American Jobs Plan and American Families Plan. See Biden tax and spending proposals.
12 min read
Taxing Consumption Progressively Is a Better Way to Tax the Wealthy
Policymakers concerned about the current tax treatment of unrealized capital gains would be better off exploring policy solutions like consumption taxes rather than tried-and-failed strategies.
5 min read