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Tax Foundation experts analyze ways to rein in the national debt, including US debt and deficits and federal budget and US spending and taxes

How to Rein in the National Debt

Now is the time for lawmakers to focus on long-term fiscal sustainability, as further delay will only make an eventual fiscal reckoning that much harder and more painful. Congressional leaders should follow through on convening a fiscal commission to deal with the long-term budgetary challenges facing the country.

35 min read
State semiconductor incentives and subsidies in the wake of the federal CHIPS Act or CHIPS and Science Act R&D legislation

States Enact Semiconductor Subsidies in the Wake of CHIPS

Policymakers at all levels of government should avoid the pitfalls of incentives. Instead, they should focus on creating a more efficient, neutral, and structurally sound tax code to the benefit of all types of business investment.

6 min read
2023 carbon tax rates in Europe and other information related to carbon taxes in Europe

Carbon Taxes in Europe, 2023

In recent years, several countries have taken measures to reduce carbon emissions, including instituting environmental regulations, emissions trading systems, and carbon taxes. In 1990, Finland was the world’s first country to introduce a carbon tax.

4 min read

The Inflation Reduction Act One Year Later

One year after its enactment, there are concerns about the Inflation Reduction Acts overall fiscal impact, the additional complexity it introduces to the tax system, and the sustainability of its initiatives.

2023 State Vape Tax Rates Compare State Vapor Tax Rates and State Vaping Tax Rates

Vaping Taxes by State, 2023

If the policy goal of taxing cigarettes is to encourage cessation, vapor taxation must be considered a part of that policy design.

3 min read
Cigarettes alternative tobacco products taxation

How Should Alternative Tobacco Products Be Taxed?

The potential for alternative tobacco products to save lives is clear and well established. The framework described in this paper uses a scientific approach to tax strategy that will both reduce harm and create a reliable revenue stream for public expenditures.

17 min read
Design Matters When Raising Taxes to Reduce the Deficit and Stabilize the Debt-to-GDP ratio US debt taxes deficits Gross Domestic Product GDP

What Is GDP and Why Should I Care About It?

GDP stands for gross domestic product and is calculated by measuring a country’s total consumption, government spending, investments, and net exports.

2 min read
Distribution of major US individual income tax credits on IRS tax form 1040

Summary of the Tax Credits Claimed on the Form 1040, Tax Year 2020

In tax year 2020, taxpayers claimed more than 159 million tax credits on their individual income tax returns worth a total of more than $277 billion. That was an increase of $35.3 billion from tax year 2019, largely due to an influx of pandemic relief administered through the tax code in 2020.

6 min read
TaxEDU glossary

Lesson Plan: Tax Basics

In this lesson plan, students will understand the basics of taxation and its impact on their daily lives, learn about their state tax system, and be able to compare it to other states in the U.S.

Child Tax Credit Reform Debate Continues Tax Cuts and Jobs Act TCJA Expiration and tax policy trade-offs Family Security Act Mitt Romney and Brookings Hamilton Project

Lawmakers Envision Different Paths for the Child Tax Credit

As the TCJA expiration nears, lawmakers face difficult choices in reforming the CTC. While revenue, distributional and economic effects are important, lawmakers should also focus on simplifying the rules and reducing the administrative challenges.

9 min read
2023 state gas tax rates by state California Illinois Pennsylvania

Gas Tax Rates by State, 2023

California pumps out the highest state gas tax rate of 77.9 cents per gallon (cpg), followed by Illinois (66.5 cpg) and Pennsylvania (62.2 cpg).

2 min read

Should Massachusetts Tax Netflix?

A bill introduced in the Massachusetts House, (H. 74) would expand funding for community media programming by imposing a new tax on the gross revenues of digital streaming service providers. The sentiment is understandable, but the proposed solution leaves much to be desired.

6 min read