This article reviews the 18-year tenure of the just-retired National Taxpayer Advocate, Nina Olson, and her successes and challenges in building the post into a key role in tax administration through casework, systemic advocacy, and detailed reports to Congress.
This paper uses a large panel of transaction-level capital asset sales data to investigate whether tax responsiveness varies with economic conditions. We estimate the tax elasticity associated with a large notch in the capital gains tax schedule, when the tax treatment changes from higher,...
This policy brief summarizes the impact of traditional individual retirement accounts and Roth individual retirement accounts on personal choices and on government finances. Although the accounts are equivalent under certain circumstances, in practice they often differ in important ways for both...
In this report, we examine the different ways that Roth individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and traditional IRAs affect their investors and the government. People who want to shelter more income per dollar deposited in the account, provide larger bequests, or eliminate uncertainty about how...
This document introduces the goals of Modeling in the Cloud at the Urban Institute. It details how our cloud-based system uses continuous deployment, containers, an interface, and computing and storage components that leverage Amazon Web Services (AWS), then lists lessons learned and critical...
If the United States undertakes actions to address the risks of climate change, the use of coal in the power sector will decline rapidly. Twenty-six US counties are classified as “coal-mining dependent,” meaning the coal industry is a major employer. In these areas, the industry is also an...
This policy brief summarizes the implications of a carbon-constrained future on coal-dependent local governments in the United States. It considers the outlook for US coal production over the next decade under such conditions and explores how county finances could be affected. It also considers...
This report analyzes the main provisions of the federal income tax code that provide benefits to families with children, comparing current law with what would be happening had the TCJA not been enacted, and discusses the TCJA’s implications for families of different income levels. On net, almost...
In December 2017, President Donald Trump signed into law PL 115-97, commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which substantially changed federal individual and corporate income taxes. Many of the income tax changes in the TCJA will affect state income taxes through existing links...
Fiscal Democracy in the States: How Much Spending is on Autopilot? analyzes how much spending was restricted or partially restricted in California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Texas, and Virginia from 2000 to 2015.
In this appendix, we document our data sources and methods,...
The Inside Agitator
This article reviews the 18-year tenure of the just-retired National Taxpayer Advocate, Nina Olson, and her successes and challenges in building the post into a key role in tax administration through casework, systemic advocacy, and detailed reports to Congress.
The critical appreciation...
Investor Responsiveness to Capital Gains Taxes During the Great Recession
This paper uses a large panel of transaction-level capital asset sales data to investigate whether tax responsiveness varies with economic conditions. We estimate the tax elasticity associated with a large notch in the capital gains tax schedule, when the tax treatment changes from higher,...
Roth IRAs Versus Traditional IRAs: Implications for Individuals and Government
This policy brief summarizes the impact of traditional individual retirement accounts and Roth individual retirement accounts on personal choices and on government finances. Although the accounts are equivalent under certain circumstances, in practice they often differ in important ways for both...
How Shifting from Traditional IRAs to Roth IRAs Affects Personal and Government Finances
In this report, we examine the different ways that Roth individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and traditional IRAs affect their investors and the government. People who want to shelter more income per dollar deposited in the account, provide larger bequests, or eliminate uncertainty about how...
Scaling Microsimulation Modeling in the Cloud: A Guide
This document introduces the goals of Modeling in the Cloud at the Urban Institute. It details how our cloud-based system uses continuous deployment, containers, an interface, and computing and storage components that leverage Amazon Web Services (AWS), then lists lessons learned and critical...
The Risk of Fiscal Collapse in Coal-Reliant Communities
If the United States undertakes actions to address the risks of climate change, the use of coal in the power sector will decline rapidly. Twenty-six US counties are classified as “coal-mining dependent,” meaning the coal industry is a major employer. In these areas, the industry is also an...
Why Local Governments Should Prepare for the Fiscal Effects of a Dwindling Coal Industry
This policy brief summarizes the implications of a carbon-constrained future on coal-dependent local governments in the United States. It considers the outlook for US coal production over the next decade under such conditions and explores how county finances could be affected. It also considers...
Shifting Child Tax Benefits in the TCJA Left Most Families About the Same
This report analyzes the main provisions of the federal income tax code that provide benefits to families with children, comparing current law with what would be happening had the TCJA not been enacted, and discusses the TCJA’s implications for families of different income levels. On net, almost...
Effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on State Individual Income Taxes
In December 2017, President Donald Trump signed into law PL 115-97, commonly known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), which substantially changed federal individual and corporate income taxes. Many of the income tax changes in the TCJA will affect state income taxes through existing links...
Fiscal Democracy in the States: Data Appendix
Fiscal Democracy in the States: How Much Spending is on Autopilot? analyzes how much spending was restricted or partially restricted in California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Texas, and Virginia from 2000 to 2015.
In this appendix, we document our data sources and methods,...