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Tax Policy Center

Research & Commentary

Brief
Individual Taxes

Tax Incentives for Charitable Contributions

This chartbook explores the implications of current-law income tax incentives for charitable donations along with several alternatives for tax deductions that are more universally available.

November 12, 2019
Robert McClellandC. Eugene SteuerleChenxi LuAravind Boddupalli
Brief
Individual Taxes

Rethinking Unemployment Insurance Taxes and Benefits

Unemployment Insurance (UI) serves a core purpose that is intuitive for both economists and noneconomists: it provides insurance against the risk of job loss. Because employment is the only or primary source of income for most families, job loss often delivers a financial blow that would be...

October 28, 2019
Ryan NunnDavid Ratner
Research report
Federal Budget and Economy

Rethinking Unemployment Insurance Taxes and Benefits

This paper addresses economic issues related to the unemployment insurance (UI) system, focusing on the worker- and employer-facing aspects of UI policy—i.e., the ways that benefits are provided to workers and that employers are taxed to fund those benefits. We outline principles for optimal...

October 27, 2019
Ryan NunnDavid Ratner
Research report
Individual Taxes

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,...

September 10, 2019
Timothy DowdRobert McClellandJacob A. Mortenson
Research report
Federal Budget and Economy

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...

August 30, 2019
Jessica KellyKyle UeyamaAlyssa Harris
Research report
Individual Taxes

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...

August 16, 2019
Elaine Maag
Research report
Federal Budget and Economy

A U.S. Fiscal Crisis?

Recent tax cuts and the relaxation of spending caps on much of discretionary spending have added massively to the federal debt. Neither political party is showing much interest in controlling deficits and unless there are large changes in fiscal policies we are firmly on a road to a fiscal...

October 17, 2018
Rudolph G. Penner
Journal Article
Federal Budget and Economy

The Federal Budget Outlook: We Are Not Winning

In this article, Auerbach, Gale, and Krupkin discuss the federal budget outlook, examining long-term debt and the fiscal gap using recently updated data from the Congressional Budget Office and the Social Security and Medicare boards of trustees.

July 30, 2018
Alan J. AuerbachWilliam G. GaleAaron Krupkin
Research report
Federal Budget and Economy

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: A Missed Opportunity to Establish a Sustainable Tax Code

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 leaves many promises of tax reform unfulfilled. In this paper, we examine the plan’s prospects to boost future growth, and discuss fundamental reforms that would boost the stock of capital and generate sustained, long-term growth. After making the case that the...

May 24, 2018
Benjamin H. HarrisAdam Looney
Testimony
Individual Taxes

Reflections on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

Mark Mazur, Director of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, testified before the Joint Economic Committee during a hearing entitled “Unleashing America’s Economic Potential.” In his testimony, Mazur presented a review of the principles of desirable tax policy, clear and less clear findings...

April 11, 2018
Mark J. Mazur

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