Congress Has a Chance to Improve the Taxpayer Experience in 2026
The Senate recently passed the Taxpayer Assistance and Service Act, which contains 65 provisions to improve tax administration and the IRS.
4 min read
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How Much Does the US Government Lose to Tax Fraud?
While the government will never close the tax gap or fully eliminate tax fraud, lawmakers and the IRS can institute several reforms to reduce the gap, including simplifying the tax code, increasing third-party information reporting, and coordinating anti-fraud efforts.
7 min read
What Is Taxable Income? How It’s Calculated for Tax Filing
Want to know how much you’ll owe during tax filing season? Then you need to know your taxable income.
International Tax Competitiveness Index 2026
While there are many factors that affect a country’s economic performance, taxes play an important role. A well-structured tax code is easy for taxpayers to comply with and can promote economic development while raising sufficient revenue for a government’s priorities.
72 min read
Top Five Options Guide Reforms to Simplify the Tax Code
Congress has passed some major simplifying reforms in recent years, but the tax code has still grown more complex over the past few decades. New carveouts, savings vehicles, and targeted tax increases would complicate it further.
8 min read
Proposal to Adjust Tax Treatment of Mutual Funds Improves Neutrality in the Tax Code
The proposed GROWTH Act would make the tax treatment of investment funds more consistent and improve the tax treatment of saving in the US by allowing investors to defer tax on qualifying reinvested capital gains distributions until they sell their fund shares.
6 min read
Tax Complexity Now Costs the US Economy over $544 Billion Annually
Americans will spend 6.9 billion hours complying with IRS tax filing and reporting requirements in 2026, costing about $387 billion in lost productivity. Including an additional $157 billion in out-of-pocket costs, complying with the federal tax code will cost Americans more than $544 billion this year, over 1.7 percent of GDP.
10 min read
States’ Nonconformity with Federal Measurements Creates “Barrels” of Compliance Costs
Many states levy taxes on liquids on a per-barrel basis. However, some states define a “barrel” differently than the standard measurement. The landscape of unharmonious units creates complexity and compliance costs for businesses that must pay these taxes in multiple states.
5 min read
Options Guide Shows the “No Tax On” Deductions Are Costly and Complex
The “no tax on” deductions show the drawbacks of using narrowly tailored provisions to provide tax relief.
6 min read
The Tax Problem You, Me, and Patrick Mahomes Have in Common
Jock taxes on highly paid athletes and entertainers are here to stay, but states could make life easier for the rest of us, at very little cost, by adopting reasonable nonresident filing and withholding thresholds for ordinary taxpayers.
5 min read
Getting Crypto Tax Reform Right Means Prioritizing Neutrality
Investment in digital assets, long thought of as a niche interest reserved for enthusiasts, has broken into the mainstream. In 2026, about one in five US adults report being invested in or using cryptocurrency.
5 min read
Going Bold: Paul Ryan & Kevin Brady on Tax Reform
Ten years ago, then-Speaker Paul Ryan and Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady released the “Better Way” Tax Plan, the blueprint that would eventually become the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017—the largest overhaul of the US tax code in over 30 years.
Siim Kallas Proved the Hard Work of Sound Tax Reform Pays Off
If America’s leaders today want to learn how to build a lasting system on the foundation of simplicity and neutrality, they should follow the Siim Kallas blueprint.
4 min read
Will Trump Accounts Make Saving Easier?
How we support savings in the US is too complex, and Trump Accounts worsen the problem. If lawmakers truly want to increase savings for taxpayers from day one, they should look to the UK and Canada, which have done it successfully for many years.
Failing to Renew the USMCA Would Increase Tariff Uncertainty and Harm Americans
With nearly 2 million US jobs tied to trade with Canada and Mexico, stalling renewal — or withdrawing outright — would compound tariff uncertainty at exactly the wrong time.
6 min read
Minnesota Should Learn from Europe: Wealth Taxes Are a Failed Experiment
A new bill introduced in the Minnesota House seeks to tax non-real assets, imposing an annual tax of 1 percent on “taxable wealth” exceeding $10 million for individuals and trusts from tax year 2026 onward.
6 min read
Is America Financially Illiterate? The Numbers Are Alarming
Most Americans don’t understand how the tax code works, and it’s costing them.
Americans Are Moving to States with Lower Taxes and Sound Tax Structures
Millions of Americans, along with significant amounts of income and economic activity, are moving from high-tax states to those with more competitive tax systems and lower overall costs of living.
8 min read
Tracking Three IRS Datapoints to Watch During the 2026 Tax Filing Season
The total amount refunded as of the sixth week of reporting is running ahead of the past filing season by nearly $23 billion at $202.6 billion compared to $179.5 billion, while the average refund is up 10.9 percent at $3,571.
3 min read
Ideas, Not Mandates: Lessons Learned from a Decade of International Tax Reform
The past decade’s record suggests that countries have reliable legislative methods to improve their tax systems through ordinary tax reforms.
22 min read