Many industrialized countries face significant medium-term fiscal deficits and unsustainable long-term fiscal trajectories. The recent fiscal crises in Greece and other countries are a stark reminder of the costs of ignoring these issues. The looming fiscal shortfalls and borrowing requirements...
The political debates have quickly centered over whether Obama is heading toward ever-more cumbersome government regulation and price-setting and whether Ryan is opening up unregulated markets that would deprive many of needed health care.
The federal income tax code is riddled with complex provisions concerning children. Families with children qualify for and receive substantial assistance, but the provisions are difficult for parents to understand and for the IRS to administer. This article proposes making uniform the definition...
President Obama's 2012 Budget contains a number of tax provisions that would cut taxes for low- and middle-income households and raise taxes on wealthier taxpayers. This resource guide describes the tax proposals, offers more detailed commentary on key provisions, and links to tables showing the...
Eric Toder is codirector of the Urban- Brookings Tax Policy Center and a fellow with the Urban Institute. He was previously Treasury deputy assistant secretary for tax analysis under President Clinton and served as director of the IRS Office of Research from 2001 to 2004. Earlier in his career,...
Tax reform should focus on three goals:1) reducing needless complexity, 2) reducing backdoor spending through the tax code, and 3) reforming rules for taxing saving and investment to make our tax law more suitable for a globalized economy. This note summarizes steps that should be taken and how...
The ongoing debate over health reform at times seems like a sporting event, with Democrats and Republicans trying to name winners and losers in passing or repealing legislation. But in my Fiscal Times op-ed this week, I explain why, when it comes to health reform, this winner-take-all...
The ongoing debate over health reform at times almost appears like a sporting event, with Democrats and Republicans trying to name winners and losers in passing or repealing legislation. But in my Fiscal Times op-ed this week, I explain why, when it comes to health reform, this winner-take-all...
Plans to rein in the U.S. budget deficit remain in the spotlight as the Bipartisan Policy Center's Debt Reduction Task Force released its plan to solve the debt crisis. TPC expert William Gale offers analysis of the recommendations and includes recommendations of his own.
Complexity plagues the tax code for low-income families, particularly with regard to child related credits. Many analysts advocate separating out the essential functions of these credits: subsidizing work, subsidizing children, and subsidizing specifi c activities such as child care. This paper...
Reforming Taxes and Raising Revenue: Part of the Fiscal Solution
Many industrialized countries face significant medium-term fiscal deficits and unsustainable long-term fiscal trajectories. The recent fiscal crises in Greece and other countries are a stark reminder of the costs of ignoring these issues. The looming fiscal shortfalls and borrowing requirements...
Does Constraining Health Cost Growth Require Choosing between Obama and Ryan?
The political debates have quickly centered over whether Obama is heading toward ever-more cumbersome government regulation and price-setting and whether Ryan is opening up unregulated markets that would deprive many of needed health care.
Tax Simplification: Clarifying Work, Child, and Education Incentives
The federal income tax code is riddled with complex provisions concerning children. Families with children qualify for and receive substantial assistance, but the provisions are difficult for parents to understand and for the IRS to administer. This article proposes making uniform the definition...
Tax Proposals in the 2012 Budget
President Obama's 2012 Budget contains a number of tax provisions that would cut taxes for low- and middle-income households and raise taxes on wealthier taxpayers. This resource guide describes the tax proposals, offers more detailed commentary on key provisions, and links to tables showing the...
Conversations: Eric Toder
Eric Toder is codirector of the Urban- Brookings Tax Policy Center and a fellow with the Urban Institute. He was previously Treasury deputy assistant secretary for tax analysis under President Clinton and served as director of the IRS Office of Research from 2001 to 2004. Earlier in his career,...
Tax Reform In An Era Of Deficits
Tax reform should focus on three goals:1) reducing needless complexity, 2) reducing backdoor spending through the tax code, and 3) reforming rules for taxing saving and investment to make our tax law more suitable for a globalized economy. This note summarizes steps that should be taken and how...
Health Care Brawl: All or Nothing Doesn't Work
The ongoing debate over health reform at times seems like a sporting event, with Democrats and Republicans trying to name winners and losers in passing or repealing legislation. But in my Fiscal Times op-ed this week, I explain why, when it comes to health reform, this winner-take-all...
Health Care Brawl: All or Nothing Doesn't Work
The ongoing debate over health reform at times almost appears like a sporting event, with Democrats and Republicans trying to name winners and losers in passing or repealing legislation. But in my Fiscal Times op-ed this week, I explain why, when it comes to health reform, this winner-take-all...
Taxes and the Deficit Reduction Plans
Plans to rein in the U.S. budget deficit remain in the spotlight as the Bipartisan Policy Center's Debt Reduction Task Force released its plan to solve the debt crisis. TPC expert William Gale offers analysis of the recommendations and includes recommendations of his own.
Simplicity: Considerations in Designing a Unified Child Credit
Complexity plagues the tax code for low-income families, particularly with regard to child related credits. Many analysts advocate separating out the essential functions of these credits: subsidizing work, subsidizing children, and subsidizing specifi c activities such as child care. This paper...