A longstanding concern of state and local governments is that a federal value-added tax (VAT) could severely limit their reliance on sales taxes as a major source of revenue. This concern is too narrowly focused; a federal VAT could affect revenues from other sources and spending more than sales...
The Tax Policy Center (TPC) prepared revenue and distributional estimates of a proposal to replace the current tax benefits for defined contribution (DC) qualified retirement plans with a new Guaranteed Retirement Account (GRA). TPC estimates that the proposal would reduce federal income and...
The Trump administration has announced the broad outlines of a tax reform plan that contains many provisions similar to those in the House GOP tax reform “blueprint” announced last year, but there are fundamental differences in the provisions affecting businesses and investors. While different,...
On July 11, 2017, we released our analysis of the distributional effects of the tax and health care benefit changes that would occur under the proposed Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). On July 13, the Senate leadership introduced a modified version of the bill. Here, we update our previous...
The proposed Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) would repeal large portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including most of its sources of revenue, and it would significantly change the Medicaid program and the private nongroup insurance market. We use the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy...
Administrative tax data contain a wealth of information that is potentially valuable for research and analysis. However, the legal and ethical imperative to protect taxpayer privacy has restricted access to a small number of government analysts and select researchers. We propose to develop in...
This brief discusses the abuse of tax deductions intended to encourage conservation of environmentally friendly land and historic buildings. This abuse is on the rise and a key policy question is whether this tax expenditure represents a good return on the scarce dollars the federal government...
Income volatility may complicate tax filing and predicting eligibility for critical tax benefits, such as the earned income tax credit. Half of all working-age adults¬—and 64 percent of low-income, working-age adults—have household income that for at least one month of the year will spike above...
Statement of Elaine Maag, Senior Research Associate at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, before the Democratic Women’s Working Group on May 24th, 2017.
This year, Congress will consider what may be the biggest tax bill in decades. This is one of a series of briefs the Tax Policy Center has prepared to help people follow the debate. Each focuses on a key tax policy issue that Congress and the Trump administration may address. This brief walks...
Effects of a Federal Value-Added Tax on State and Local Government Budgets
A longstanding concern of state and local governments is that a federal value-added tax (VAT) could severely limit their reliance on sales taxes as a major source of revenue. This concern is too narrowly focused; a federal VAT could affect revenues from other sources and spending more than sales...
Estimates of a Proposal to Establish Guaranteed Retirement Accounts, Financed by Reduced Limits on Current Law Contributions to Defined Contribution Retirement Saving Plans
The Tax Policy Center (TPC) prepared revenue and distributional estimates of a proposal to replace the current tax benefits for defined contribution (DC) qualified retirement plans with a new Guaranteed Retirement Account (GRA). TPC estimates that the proposal would reduce federal income and...
Neutral Tax Reform with 15 Percent Business Income Tax Rate
The Trump administration has announced the broad outlines of a tax reform plan that contains many provisions similar to those in the House GOP tax reform “blueprint” announced last year, but there are fundamental differences in the provisions affecting businesses and investors. While different,...
Updated: Who Gains and Who Loses under the Better Care Reconciliation Act
On July 11, 2017, we released our analysis of the distributional effects of the tax and health care benefit changes that would occur under the proposed Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA). On July 13, the Senate leadership introduced a modified version of the bill. Here, we update our previous...
Who Gains and Who Loses under the Better Care Reconciliation Act
The proposed Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA) would repeal large portions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including most of its sources of revenue, and it would significantly change the Medicaid program and the private nongroup insurance market. We use the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy...
A Synthetic Income Tax Return Data File: Tentative Work Plan and Discussion Draft
Administrative tax data contain a wealth of information that is potentially valuable for research and analysis. However, the legal and ethical imperative to protect taxpayer privacy has restricted access to a small number of government analysts and select researchers. We propose to develop in...
Abuse of tax deductions for charitable donations of conservation lands are on the rise
This brief discusses the abuse of tax deductions intended to encourage conservation of environmentally friendly land and historic buildings. This abuse is on the rise and a key policy question is whether this tax expenditure represents a good return on the scarce dollars the federal government...
Income Volatility: New Research Results with Implications for Income Tax Filing and Liabilities
Income volatility may complicate tax filing and predicting eligibility for critical tax benefits, such as the earned income tax credit. Half of all working-age adults¬—and 64 percent of low-income, working-age adults—have household income that for at least one month of the year will spike above...
Understanding Child Care Subsidies in the Tax System
Statement of Elaine Maag, Senior Research Associate at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, before the Democratic Women’s Working Group on May 24th, 2017.
Tax-Favored Retirement Plans
This year, Congress will consider what may be the biggest tax bill in decades. This is one of a series of briefs the Tax Policy Center has prepared to help people follow the debate. Each focuses on a key tax policy issue that Congress and the Trump administration may address. This brief walks...