How much spending is uncontrollable? Q.How much spending is uncontrollable? A.Technically, lawmakers can control all spending except the interest due on government debts. However, entitlement spending is sometimes said to be uncontrollable for political rather than legal reasons. It can always be controlled legally by reforming programs, but when an entitlement is extremely popular, reform may require more political courage than is readily available. Similar concerns apply to many tax expenditures—tax breaks that function much as spending programs. Read more about How much spending is uncontrollable?
What is the tax expenditure budget? Q.What is the tax expenditure budget? A.The tax expenditure budget displays the estimated revenue losses from special exclusions, exemptions, deductions, credits, deferrals, and preferential tax rates in federal income tax law. Read more about What is the tax expenditure budget?
How did the TCJA affect tax expenditures? Q.How did the TCJA affect tax expenditures? A.The TCJA reduced some tax expenditure provisions, eliminated others, and introduced and expanded still others. In addition to these direct changes in tax expenditure provisions, an increase in the standard deduction and lower individual and corporate tax rates reduced the number of taxpayers using tax expenditure provisions and the value of the tax benefits they receive. Read more about How did the TCJA affect tax expenditures?
