VAT Rates in Europe, 2021
More than 140 countries worldwide—including all European countries—levy a Value-Added Tax (VAT) on goods and services.
4 min read
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State and Local Sales Tax Rates, 2021
While many factors influence business location and investment decisions, sales taxes are something within lawmakers’ control that can have immediate impacts.
12 min read
State Tax Changes Effective January 1, 2021
Twenty-six states and the District of Columbia had notable tax changes take effect on January 1, 2021. Because most states’ legislative sessions were cut short in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, fewer tax changes were adopted in 2020 than in a typical year.
24 min read
Sparkling Wine Taxes in Europe
This week, people around the world will celebrate New Year’s Eve, with many opening a bottle of sparkling wine to wish farewell to—a rather consequential—2020 and offer a warm welcome to the—by many of us, long-awaited—new year 2021.
1 min read
Wealth Taxes in Europe, 2020
Net wealth taxes are recurrent taxes on an individual’s wealth, net of debt. The concept of a net wealth tax is similar to a real property tax. But instead of only taxing real estate, it covers all wealth an individual owns. As today’s map shows, only three European countries covered levy a net wealth tax, namely Norway, Spain, and Switzerland. France and Italy levy wealth taxes on selected assets but not on an individual’s net wealth per se.
3 min read
Corporate Tax Rates around the World, 2020
Corporate tax rates have been declining in every region around the world over the past four decades as countries have recognized their negative impact on business investment. Our new report explores the latest corporate tax trends and compares corporate tax rates by country.
22 min read
Reduced Corporate Income Tax Rates for Small Businesses in Europe
Corporate income taxes are commonly levied as a flat rate on business profits. However, some countries provide reduced corporate income tax rates for small businesses
2 min read
Ranking Sales Taxes on the 2021 State Business Tax Climate Index
An ideal sales tax applies to a broad base of final consumer goods and services, with few exemptions, and is levied at a low rate. Broad-based, low-rate tax structures minimize tax-induced economic distortions that can occur when people change their purchasing behavior because of tax differences.
3 min read
Patent Box Regimes in Europe, 2020
Patent box regimes (also referred to as intellectual property, or IP, regimes) provide lower effective tax rates on income derived from IP.
4 min read
Cigarette Taxes and Cigarette Smuggling by State, 2018
Excessive tax rates on cigarettes in some states induce substantial black and gray market movement of tobacco products into high-tax states from low-tax states or foreign sources. New York has the highest inbound smuggling activity, with an estimated 53.2 percent of cigarettes consumed in the state deriving from smuggled sources.
13 min read
Comparing Europe’s Tax Systems: International Tax Rules
International tax rules define how income earned abroad and by foreign entities are taxed domestically, making them an important element of a country’s tax code.
3 min read
Wireless Tax Burden Remains High Due to Federal Surcharge Increase
A typical American household with four phones on a “family share” wireless plan can expect to pay about $270 per year (or 22 percent of their cell phone bill) in taxes, fees, and surcharges.
36 min read
Comparing Europe’s Tax Systems: Consumption Taxes
How do consumption tax codes compare among European OECD countries? Explore our new map to see how consumption tax systems in Europe compare.
2 min read
Ranking Corporate Income Taxes on the 2021 State Business Tax Climate Index
The corporate tax component of our Index measures each state’s principal tax on business activities. Most states levy a corporate income tax on a company’s profits (receipts minus most business expenses, including compensation and the cost of goods sold), while some states levy gross receipts taxes, which allow few or no deductions for a company’s expenses.
2 min read
A Preliminary Look at 2019 Tax Data for Individuals
The latest IRS data continues to illustrate that the net effect of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was to reduce effective tax rates across income groups. In 2019, the TCJA again expanded the use of several deductions and credits, made the standard deduction more favorable than itemizing, and lowered taxes for most taxpayers.
4 min read