Business Taxes

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.

State Corporate Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2022

Forty-four states levy a corporate income tax. Rates range from 2.5 percent in North Carolina to 11.5 percent in New Jersey.

Net Operating Loss Provisions: State Treatment and the Economic Benefits

Well-designed Net Operating Loss (NOL) provisions benefit the economy by smoothing business income, which mitigates entrepreneurial risk and helps firms survive economic downturns.

Comparing Europe’s Tax Systems: Cross-Border Tax Rules

Cross-border tax rules define how income earned abroad and by foreign entities are taxed domestically, making them an important element of each country’s tax code.

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.

California Considers Doubling its Taxes

Practically doubling state taxes—even if the burden is partially offset through state-provided health coverage—could send taxpayers racing for the exits.

Eight State Tax Reforms for Mobility and Modernization

States are unprepared for the ongoing shift to remote and flexible work arrangements, or for the industries and activities of today, to say nothing of tomorrow. In some states, moreover, existing tax provisions exacerbate the impact of high inflation and contribute to the supply chain crisis.

Americans Moved to Low-Tax States in 2021

The pandemic has accelerated changes in the way we live and work, making it far easier for people to move—and they have. As states work to maintain their competitive advantage, they should pay attention to where people are moving, and try to understand why.

U.S. Fiscal Response to COVID-19 Among Largest of Industrialized Countries

As the U.S. grapples with rising price inflation, a large and growing national debt, as well as a possible economic slowdown due to Omicron, the decision to provide additional fiscal support will prove to be a difficult one. Policymakers can debate how much stimulus is appropriate, but what is clear is that the U.S. fiscal support so far during the pandemic outranks nearly every industrialized country.

A Holiday Tradition: Tax Extenders Slated to Expire at End of 2021

Tax extenders this year can be split into three rough groups: expiring parts of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), expiring parts of various COVID-19 economic relief packages, and the Island of Misfit Extenders.

Going Beyond the Headlines: Understanding Corporate Taxes

Every so often, you will see headlines highlighting large companies that pay little or no corporate income tax. While these stories may seem shocking, the reality is much more mundane.

Who Bears the Burden of the Corporate Income Tax?

Raising the corporate income tax is often promoted as a way to generate revenue for helpful government services. Unfortunately, higher corporate taxes typically hurt the very people they’re supposed to help through lost wages and fewer opportunities.

GILTI: Foreign Tax, Local Impact

Since only U.S. businesses pay the GILTI tax, not foreign businesses, it makes U.S.-based brands less competitive abroad. Whatever its intentions, GILTI is a flawed policy, and doubling down on it will hurt us abroad, and at home.

Gift or Lump of Coal: U.S. Cross-border Tax Changes Won’t Be Home for Christmas

As 2021 comes to a close, countries are moving toward harmonizing tax rules for multinationals, but stalled talks on the Build Back Better Act in the United States means new uncertainties for a global agreement and for taxpayers.

What Do Global Minimum Tax Rules Mean for Corporate Tax Policies?

The new OECD global minimum tax rules are complex, and some countries may opt to put them in place on top of preexisting rules for taxing multinational companies. However, countries should also consider ways to reform their existing rules in response to the minimum tax.

Why Washington State Can’t Claim Its Capital Gains Tax Is an Excise Tax

Comparing Europe’s Tax Systems: Property Taxes

According to the 2021 International Tax Competitiveness Index, Switzerland has the best-structured consumption tax among OECD countries while Poland has the worst-structured consumption tax code.

2022 State Business Tax Climate Index

While there are many ways to show how much is collected in taxes by state governments, our State Business Tax Climate Index is designed to show how well states structure their tax systems and provides a road map for improvement.

Permanent Build Back Better Act Would Likely Require Large Tax Increases on the Middle Class

Policymakers and taxpayers should understand the scope of tax changes necessary to fully pay for the large-scale social spending programs that would be initiated under the Build Back Better Act.

Patching Spain’s Tax Code Won’t Attract Investors

Spain should follow the example of Madrid, the country’s most competitive region. A more efficient income tax system is a better objective than just focusing on incentives for foreigners to change their tax residence.