The early years of the 21st century have been marked by a major tax bill almost every year. This fact sheet looks at the impact of these laws on taxpayers, especially on who benefits and who doesnt, and discusses some unfinished business, including the future of the estate tax and the individual...
Hal Salzman and Leonard Lynn argue that recent reports warning of a rising threat posed by hordes of scientists and engineers graduating from Chinese and Indian universities are wrong on several counts, countering that rather than technonationalism, the United States should invest in education,...
The testimony discusses the usefulness of dynamic analysis and dynamic scoring for the policymaking process. Burman concludes that dynamic scoring is not feasible because of lack of knowledge about how deficits will be offset, uncertainty about key parameters in economic models, and inherent...
The Economic Growth and Taxpayer Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) phased out the state death tax credit from 2002 to 2004, eliminating it completely for 2005. Prior to EGTRRA, almost all states collected a "pick-up" tax that was equivalent to the federal credit. In 2000, estate and...
Under current law, there are three major tax credits that affect families with children: the earned income tax credit, the child and dependent care tax credit, and the child tax credit.
There are numerous tax incentives for the oil and gas industry, many of which are designed to encourage exploration and energy production. Both the amount and the value of the incentives have increased in recent years. Economists believe it is generally bad policy to favor one industry or one...
No issue has stumped policymakers more than how to provide healthcare to its citizens in an efficient and fair manner. Every recent health "fix" has involved trying to buy health reform by devoting even more dollars to it. In simply throwing more money into the system, they add to, rather than...
When President Bush announced his appointment of Henry Paulson of Goldman Sachs as Treasury Secretary, the press quickly popped the obvious question to former Treasury officials like me: "Why would he want to be secretary, especially this late in a president's tenure?"
In this commentary, Len Burman offers a radical proposal: use the tax system to bring in tax revenues and spending programs to provide the social safety net.
The Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 will extend the low tax rates on capital gains and dividends through 2010, grant temporary relief from the individual alternative minimum tax through 2006, and extend several expiring business tax breaks. To prevent Senators from raising...
Tax Policy: Facts and Figures
The early years of the 21st century have been marked by a major tax bill almost every year. This fact sheet looks at the impact of these laws on taxpayers, especially on who benefits and who doesnt, and discusses some unfinished business, including the future of the estate tax and the individual...
Technology: More Than Degrees
Hal Salzman and Leonard Lynn argue that recent reports warning of a rising threat posed by hordes of scientists and engineers graduating from Chinese and Indian universities are wrong on several counts, countering that rather than technonationalism, the United States should invest in education,...
Dynamic Analysis and Scoring
The testimony discusses the usefulness of dynamic analysis and dynamic scoring for the policymaking process. Burman concludes that dynamic scoring is not feasible because of lack of knowledge about how deficits will be offset, uncertainty about key parameters in economic models, and inherent...
State-Level Estate and Inheritance Taxes
The Economic Growth and Taxpayer Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA) phased out the state death tax credit from 2002 to 2004, eliminating it completely for 2005. Prior to EGTRRA, almost all states collected a "pick-up" tax that was equivalent to the federal credit. In 2000, estate and...
Growth and Decline in Tax Credits For Families With Children
Under current law, there are three major tax credits that affect families with children: the earned income tax credit, the child and dependent care tax credit, and the child tax credit.
Tax Incentives for Energy Production
There are numerous tax incentives for the oil and gas industry, many of which are designed to encourage exploration and energy production. Both the amount and the value of the incentives have increased in recent years. Economists believe it is generally bad policy to favor one industry or one...
Can We Buy Our Way to Health Reform?
No issue has stumped policymakers more than how to provide healthcare to its citizens in an efficient and fair manner. Every recent health "fix" has involved trying to buy health reform by devoting even more dollars to it. In simply throwing more money into the system, they add to, rather than...
Paulsonibilities
When President Bush announced his appointment of Henry Paulson of Goldman Sachs as Treasury Secretary, the press quickly popped the obvious question to former Treasury officials like me: "Why would he want to be secretary, especially this late in a president's tenure?"
Tax and Spend
In this commentary, Len Burman offers a radical proposal: use the tax system to bring in tax revenues and spending programs to provide the social safety net.
Roth Conversions as Revenue Raisers: Smoke and Mirrors
The Tax Increase Prevention and Reconciliation Act of 2005 will extend the low tax rates on capital gains and dividends through 2010, grant temporary relief from the individual alternative minimum tax through 2006, and extend several expiring business tax breaks. To prevent Senators from raising...