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State conformity to federal pandemic relief, state tax conformity to federal COVID-19 relief legislation (CARES Act, American Rescue Plan), including Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and unemployment compensation tax exclusion.

State Conformity to Federal Pandemic-Related Tax Provisions in CARES and ARPA

With so many federal changes occurring in such a short amount of time—including some federal provisions changing more than once and a major change to the treatment of UC income occurring in the middle of tax filing season—state legislators have faced the challenge of responding to these changes quickly in order to provide certainty to taxpayers.

24 min read
American Rescue Plan local aid allocation Tax Foundation, american rescue plan local government funding

ARPA Allocates $2 Billion to Nonexistent County Governments

The government of Hartford County, Connecticut is in line to receive $173 million in local aid under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). There’s only one problem: the government of Hartford County doesn’t exist, nor do any of Connecticut’s other counties have county-level government despite being allocated a collective $691 million under the bill.

4 min read
depreciation Capital allowances and capital cost recovery across OECD countries, 2021. Learn more about capital allowance and capital recovery.

Capital Cost Recovery across the OECD, 2021

The ongoing pandemic has once again highlighted the importance of investment. To address the economic fallout of the pandemic, several OECD countries have temporarily accelerated depreciation schedules for various assets.

31 min read
Bernie Sanders CEO Pay Act, Tax Excessive CEO Pay Act, Bernie Sanders CEO tax Work Opportunity Tax Credit WOTC, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF) Sherrod Brown, Ben Cardin

A CEO Tax Is the Wrong Way to Help Workers

In an effort to rein in perceived excesses in executive compensation, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and other co-sponsors have proposed to increase a company’s corporate income tax rate progressively based on the difference between median worker pay and CEO pay.

4 min read
2021 state capital stock tax, 2021 state franchise tax, 2021 state capital stock taxes and state franchise taxes. Which states have a capital stock tax or franchise tax

Does Your State Levy a Capital Stock Tax?

Capital stock taxes are imposed on a business’s net worth (or accumulated wealth). As such, the tax tends to penalize investment and requires businesses to pay regardless of whether they make a profit in a given year, or ever.

4 min read
unemployment compensation taxable income unemployment compensation as taxable income american rescue plan act's exclusion A person filling out tax papers, tax treatment of the working class

A Neutral Tax Code Counts Unemployment Compensation as Taxable Income

Since 1987, unemployment compensation benefits have been subject to federal income tax and, in most states, to state income tax. According to the Congressional Research Service, such treatment—including unemployment compensation benefits in taxable income—is common across industrial nations.

4 min read
UK tax reform, 2021 budget UK 2021 budget, UK corporate tax reform, UK corporation tax rate

Marginal Effective Tax Rates and the 2021 UK Budget

The 2021 UK budget introduces a two-year super-deduction of 130 percent for plant and equipment and a delayed corporate tax rate increase from 19 percent to 25 percent in 2023. These policies have differential impacts on marginal effective tax rates for different assets, implying investment incentives will not be uniform.

15 min read
EU business tax reform, European Union business tax reform, European Commission EU business taxation framework

The EU Determined to Reform the Business Tax

The EU recently launched a consultation to reform the business tax system, which will outline the priorities for corporate taxation over the coming years to meet the needs of a globalized economy that struggles to recover from the consequences of the COVID-19 crisis. It will also set EU actions regarding the ongoing international discussion on the taxation of the digital economy and a global minimum tax.

3 min read
Washington capital gains income tax Washington capital gains tax 2021 Washington election results ballot measures Washington State Lawmakers Floats a Wealth Tax Which Relies Almost Exclusively on Four People, Washington wealth tax proposal, Washington State wealth tax

Washington State Lawmakers Consider 1,000% Tax Increase on Tobacco Businesses

Limiting addiction to nicotine is a laudable goal, but lawmakers should exercise caution with the methods employed. Using gross receipts taxes on businesses to effectively levy an excise tax introduces complexity to an already flawed tax design. It is better to let the excise tax internalize externalities and the business tax raise general revenue.

3 min read
2021 tax season, tax refunds, IRS extends tax filing deadline to May 17

What to Expect During the 2021 Tax Season

The IRS recently announced the extension of tax filing and payment deadlines from April 15th to May 17th to help taxpayers navigating the many tax changes amid the pandemic and give the IRS opportunity to clear its backlog of tax returns and correspondence.

7 min read
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act offshoring Controlled Foreign Corporation rules around the world CFC rules US CFC rules passive foreign investment companies, PFICs GILTI, global minimum tax

TCJA Is Not GILTI of Offshoring

Many members of Congress have taken issue with the 2017 tax reform. However, the reasoning that has led some to believe that GILTI provides a path to offshoring investment and jobs is flawed.

6 min read
State tax burden map, state and local tax burden, state-local tax burden rankings, 2021 state tax burden rankings, state tax burdens map

State and Local Tax Burdens, Calendar Year 2019

New Yorkers faced the highest burden, with 14.1 percent of income in the state going to state and local taxes. Connecticut (12.8 percent) and Hawaii (12.7 percent) followed.

19 min read
State business inventory tax. Does your state tax business inventory? Are businesses tax on inventory? Explore state business tangible personal property tax as of July 1, 2020,taxes on business inventory, inventory taxes

Does Your State Tax Business Inventory?

Inventory taxes are levied regardless of whether a business makes a profit, adding to the burden of businesses already struggling to stay afloat.

2 min read
Total Covid relief (Total Covid-19 relief) in the US. Total unemployment insurance and total unemployment benefits, including total covid relief families. How much money has the US spent on covid-19 Comparing covid relief packages

U.S. COVID-19 Relief Provided More Than $60,000 in Benefits to Many Unemployed Families

During the pandemic, an unemployment family of four previously earning $60,000 will have received $50,840 in federal and state unemployment benefits from April 1, 2020 to September 6, 2021, plus $11,400 in stimulus payments, plus $7,200 in Child Tax Credit, totaling $69,440 in combined COVID-19 relief benefits.

4 min read
International tax rules, International Tax rules House Democrats' covid-19 relief proposal

How GILTI Are U.S. Industries?

Both the Biden campaign and some Democratic members of Congress have recommended changes to GILTI, but before doing that, policymakers should consider how GILTI’s design can have ramifications for many U.S. companies and their tax burdens.

6 min read