New York Times' Room for Debate: The United States has one of the world's highest corporate tax rates, but many large U.S. corporations pay little U.S. tax. Eliminating special interest loopholes could pay for some, but not much reduction in the corporate rate. The main problem is that it...
Corporate level income taxes encourage the outflow of capital and the shifting of reported profits to other jurisdictions. The outflow of capital shifts some of the burden of the tax from owners of capital to workers. In contrast, individual level taxes on corporate income lower the after-tax...
Eric Toder testified before the Senate Committee on Finance on how recently proposed incentives for small business may help economic recovery. These incentives are only a small component of broader policies to accelerate recovery from the deep recession we have experienced in the past two years...
The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program targets debt and equity capital to businesses or organizations situated in low-income, economically distressed communities. This is a report on a diverse sample of five projects that utilized New Markets Tax Credits allocated early in the program's...
One arguably good thing about the current financial crisis is that it has broadened public understanding of the global financial system. Few people had heard of credit default swaps two years ago, but these instruments have, since then, forced themselves on the attention the most casual reader...
There are several justifications for the corporate tax, including the claim that the corporate tax enhances progressivity in the tax code. This claim is based on two assumptions. One, that corporate tax incidence is primarily borne by capital (as opposed to labor); and two, that capital is...
Facing the most severe recession since the 1930s, and probably the longest as well, the
U.S. government has adopted an aggressive countercyclical fiscal policy stance, beginning with the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 in February of that year, shortly after the recessions designated...
Some tax proposals would reduce the marginal corporate tax rate. Others would boost the top individual rate. Although a differential between corporate and individual rates could reduce the overall tax on distributed corporate income, it could also enable higher-income taxpayers to shelter income...
This paper outlines a plan for a VAT dedicated to paying for a new universal health insurance voucher combined with a vastly simplified and much flatter income tax. Top income tax rates could be cut to 25% or less and most taxpayers would not have to file returns. The health care voucher would...
One of the most vexing and contentious issues in taxation is the proper treatment of capital gains-the increase in value of an asset such as shares of company stock or a business. In principle, under an income tax, capital gains should be included in the tax base as they accrue. In practice, if...
Closing Loopholes Won't Be Simple
New York Times' Room for Debate: The United States has one of the world's highest corporate tax rates, but many large U.S. corporations pay little U.S. tax. Eliminating special interest loopholes could pay for some, but not much reduction in the corporate rate. The main problem is that it...
Capital Income Taxation and Progressivity in a Global Economy
Corporate level income taxes encourage the outflow of capital and the shifting of reported profits to other jurisdictions. The outflow of capital shifts some of the burden of the tax from owners of capital to workers. In contrast, individual level taxes on corporate income lower the after-tax...
Tax Issues Related to Small Business Job Creation
Eric Toder testified before the Senate Committee on Finance on how recently proposed incentives for small business may help economic recovery. These incentives are only a small component of broader policies to accelerate recovery from the deep recession we have experienced in the past two years...
Analysis of Selected New Markets Tax Credit Projects
The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program targets debt and equity capital to businesses or organizations situated in low-income, economically distressed communities. This is a report on a diverse sample of five projects that utilized New Markets Tax Credits allocated early in the program's...
Taxation of Credit Derivatives
One arguably good thing about the current financial crisis is that it has broadened public understanding of the global financial system. Few people had heard of credit default swaps two years ago, but these instruments have, since then, forced themselves on the attention the most casual reader...
Corporate Tax Incidence and Its Implications for Progressivity
There are several justifications for the corporate tax, including the claim that the corporate tax enhances progressivity in the tax code. This claim is based on two assumptions. One, that corporate tax incidence is primarily borne by capital (as opposed to labor); and two, that capital is...
Activist Fiscal Policy to Stabilize Economic Activity
Facing the most severe recession since the 1930s, and probably the longest as well, the
U.S. government has adopted an aggressive countercyclical fiscal policy stance, beginning with the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 in February of that year, shortly after the recessions designated...
Mitigating the Potential Inequity of Reducing Corporate Rates
Some tax proposals would reduce the marginal corporate tax rate. Others would boost the top individual rate. Although a differential between corporate and individual rates could reduce the overall tax on distributed corporate income, it could also enable higher-income taxpayers to shelter income...
A Blueprint for Tax Reform and Health Reform
This paper outlines a plan for a VAT dedicated to paying for a new universal health insurance voucher combined with a vastly simplified and much flatter income tax. Top income tax rates could be cut to 25% or less and most taxpayers would not have to file returns. The health care voucher would...
Taxing Capital Gains in Australia: Assessment and Recommendations
One of the most vexing and contentious issues in taxation is the proper treatment of capital gains-the increase in value of an asset such as shares of company stock or a business. In principle, under an income tax, capital gains should be included in the tax base as they accrue. In practice, if...