Better Tax Policy Requires Better Data

In his 2011 NTA presidential address, Len Burman argued that tax policy in the US is stymied by lack of high quality data. He argues that the states should be encouraged to experiment and collect the data necessary to evaluate the effects of policies such as tax subsidies for saving. He also argues for much wider access to available administrative tax and information return data, which are currently available only within the IRS and a few government agencies, with suitable safeguards in place to protect taxpayer privacy.