Steven Rosenthal's testimony before the House Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures of the Committee on Ways and Means on the Discussion Drafts proposals to reform the tax rules for derivatives and securities investments.
Taxpayers can currently deduct interest on up to $1 million in acquisition debt used to buy, build, or improve their personal residences and interest on up to another $100,000 of home equity loans. This brief estimates the effects on revenue and the distribution of the tax burden of proposals...
Extending the charitable deduction deadline is a move with precedent: the government has used it to encourage giving following a natural disaster. However, temporary laws have limited effect. Consider instead allowing charitable deductions made by April 15, aka tax day, to be applied to the...
The U.S. faces substantial and unsustainable budget deficits, which will require tax increases and spending cuts to resolve. A carbon tax could raise revenues, with several positive effects: it would improve environmental outcomes, increase economic efficiency, and allow the elimination of...
Split interest and partial interest gifts have been with us for over a century. Donors have had a long-standing interest in making gifts and reserving certain critical rights with respect to the property given. This paper discusses certain important aspects of the split interest and partial...
With the passage of the recent tax act, many observers are claiming that fiscal issues have been, essentially, resolved and that the nation should move on to other issues. The February 2013 release of the Congressional Budget Offices Budget and Economic Outlook provides an opportunity to re-...
In this chapter, we propose a value-added tax (VAT) to contribute to the U.S. fiscal solution. A 5 percent broad-based VAT, paired with subsidies to offset the regressive impacts, could raise about 1 percent of GDP per year. International experience suggests that the VAT can raise substantial...
The American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) made estate tax law permanent following more than a decade of constant change. Following ATRA, the estate tax remains one of the most progressive parts of the tax code. In 2013, estates with gross assets exceeding $20 million will account for nearly three-...
Gene Steuerle testifies before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on labor force participation, taxes, and the social welfare system. Although there is some disagreement over the extent to which the nations social welfare systems affect work efforts, there is almost no disagreement...
Gene Steuerle testifies before the Committee on Ways and Means on tax reform and charitable contributions. This testimony centers on the point that a tax subsidy like that for charitable contributions should be treated like any other program of government, examined regularly, and reformed to...
Financial Products Tax Reform Discussion Draft
Steven Rosenthal's testimony before the House Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures of the Committee on Ways and Means on the Discussion Drafts proposals to reform the tax rules for derivatives and securities investments.
Options to Reform the Deduction for Home Mortgage Interest
Taxpayers can currently deduct interest on up to $1 million in acquisition debt used to buy, build, or improve their personal residences and interest on up to another $100,000 of home equity loans. This brief estimates the effects on revenue and the distribution of the tax burden of proposals...
Extending the Charitable Deduction Deadline to Tax Day
Extending the charitable deduction deadline is a move with precedent: the government has used it to encourage giving following a natural disaster. However, temporary laws have limited effect. Consider instead allowing charitable deductions made by April 15, aka tax day, to be applied to the...
Carbon Taxes as Part of the Fiscal Solution
The U.S. faces substantial and unsustainable budget deficits, which will require tax increases and spending cuts to resolve. A carbon tax could raise revenues, with several positive effects: it would improve environmental outcomes, increase economic efficiency, and allow the elimination of...
The Charitable Contribution Deduction: Reform and Simplification
Split interest and partial interest gifts have been with us for over a century. Donors have had a long-standing interest in making gifts and reserving certain critical rights with respect to the property given. This paper discusses certain important aspects of the split interest and partial...
Fiscal Fatigue: Tracking the Budget Outlook as Political Leaders Lurch from One Artificial Crisis to Another
With the passage of the recent tax act, many observers are claiming that fiscal issues have been, essentially, resolved and that the nation should move on to other issues. The February 2013 release of the Congressional Budget Offices Budget and Economic Outlook provides an opportunity to re-...
Creating an American Value-Added Tax
In this chapter, we propose a value-added tax (VAT) to contribute to the U.S. fiscal solution. A 5 percent broad-based VAT, paired with subsidies to offset the regressive impacts, could raise about 1 percent of GDP per year. International experience suggests that the VAT can raise substantial...
Estate Taxes After ATRA
The American Taxpayer Relief Act (ATRA) made estate tax law permanent following more than a decade of constant change. Following ATRA, the estate tax remains one of the most progressive parts of the tax code. In 2013, estates with gross assets exceeding $20 million will account for nearly three-...
Labor Force Participation, Taxes, and the Nation's Social Welfare System
Gene Steuerle testifies before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform on labor force participation, taxes, and the social welfare system. Although there is some disagreement over the extent to which the nations social welfare systems affect work efforts, there is almost no disagreement...
Tax Reform and Charitable Contributions
Gene Steuerle testifies before the Committee on Ways and Means on tax reform and charitable contributions. This testimony centers on the point that a tax subsidy like that for charitable contributions should be treated like any other program of government, examined regularly, and reformed to...