Tax Policy Center

IRS

Individual Taxes: TaxVox

IRS Help Line Is Out Of Service

The IRS is getting a lot of flak these days about lost emails and alleged politically motivated activity. But last week I ran into a problem that hit much closer to home. It appears that the IRS telephone help line is out of service, at least for my basic tax question. I needed to double-check an
July 7, 2014Roberton C. Williams
Individual Taxes: TaxVox

The Real IRS Flap Is About Dark Money, Not Emails

Don’t get distracted by the political theater over lost IRS emails. There is little new about headline-seeking politicians berating IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. Like most of what happens in Congress these days, these second-rate star chambers do little more than create cable TV sound bites and
June 24, 2014Howard Gleckman
: TaxVox

Tax Credits Help; Tax Cuts Need to Be Paid For

Tax credits are making health care under the Affordable Care Act… affordable. The US Department of Health and Human Services reports that tax subsidies have reduced the cost of the average federal health insurance exchange premium from $346 to $82. About 3.2 million people are paying less than $100
June 19, 2014Renu Zaretsky
: Daily Deduction

IRS Has New Woes in Congress; Taxes in Minnesota Pay Off

House Republicans would slash IRS funding. Their fiscal year 2015 financial services budget includes roughly $11 billion for the IRS. This would cut $341 million from the agency’s current budget, and is $1.5 billion less than the White House request. They are also outraged over lost IRS emails.
June 18, 2014Renu Zaretsky
Individual Taxes: TaxVox

Good And Bad News About The ACA Penalty Tax

An important feature of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is the penalty tax imposed on people who do not have health insurance. But newly updated report from the Congressional Budget Office projects that just under 4 million people will pay the penalty in 2016, less than 15 percent of the estimated 30
June 12, 2014Roberton C. Williams
: TaxVox

Tax Extenders, Administration and Reform Are On Deck; State Revenues Are Up

This week: The House will vote on tax extenders. In his June policy memo to House Republicans, Majority Leader Eric Cantor notes that there will be votes on three tax extender bills this week. The bills would make permanent (1) small business expensing of up to $500,000 in qualifying equipment per
June 9, 2014Renu Zaretsky
Individual Taxes: TaxVox

Don’t Turn Over IRS Debt Collections to Private Contractors

The latest example of why bipartisanship is not necessarily good: A bill proposed by senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Pat Roberts (R-KN) to require the IRS to hire private debt collectors. The last time Congress made the IRS try this, the agency lost money. It was a terrible idea then and it is a
May 22, 2014Howard Gleckman
Individual Taxes: TaxVox

A Web Tool to Calculate ACA Tax Penalties

The deadline is looming: If you don’t have approved insurance coverage by March 31 (and are not exempt from the requirement), the Affordable Care Act...
March 6, 2014Roberton C. Williams
Federal Budget and Economy: TaxVox

IRS Gets Hammered in the 2014 Budget Agreement

The Internal Revenue Service is one of the biggest losers in the 2014 budget deal agreed to last night by House and Senate negotiators. Under...
January 14, 2014Howard Gleckman
Federal Budget and Economy: TaxVox

TheTaxVox 2013 Lump of Coal Award: Wait ‘Til Next Year Edition

Tax Vox proudly announces its seventh annual Lump of Coal Award for the worst tax and fiscal policies of 2013. The year was a curious...
December 23, 2013Howard Gleckman