Taxes

Inflation operates much like a tax, a particularly egregious one that disproportionately falls on the poor and leads to a variety of economic problems, including, as we’re seeing, higher interest rates, slow economic growth, and reduced incomes. With inflation still running high, it is worth exploring who bears the cost of the surge in prices

Italy’s legislative elections on 25 September resulted in the country’s first right-wing government since 2011. Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Brothers of Italy, will likely become Prime Minister and govern in a coalition with the League (led by Matteo Salvini) and Forza Italia (led by Silvio Berlusconi). On national tax policy, the coalition has been

Electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and other clean-energy vehicles continue to gain popularity, especially as gas prices soar. Is it time for you to make the switch? If you’re new to the EV market, you no doubt have a lot of questions — topics like EV battery range, maintenance costs, and affordability

Corporations in the United States pay federal corporate income taxes levied at a 21 percent rate. Forty-four states and D.C. also levy taxes on corporate income, with top marginal rates ranging from 2.5 percent in North Carolina to 11.5 percent in New Jersey. Fifteen of the states levy graduated corporate income tax rates, while the

By now, you’ve probably heard about the Inflation Reduction Act President Biden signed into law in mid-August. On the surface, it sounds like a good thing. Who wouldn’t want to reduce the sky-high inflation we’ve all been dealing with this year? But, as always, there’s a little more to it. Let’s go over the goals

As noted in a Tax Foundation blog post last week, the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) primarily uses carrots, not sticks, to incentivize reductions in carbon emissions. The Inflation Reduction Act creates or expands tax credits for various low- or no-emission technologies, rather than imposing a generalized penalty for emissions, such as a carbon tax. However, there

Picture this: you arrive at your polling place this November and start filling in your ballot. Member of Congress? Check. State legislators? You did your homework! Mayor? Good to go. Whether certain property tax exemptions provided for agricultural equipment and certain farm products should be expanded to include a merger of two or more family-owned

Note: This report was published in partnership with the Centre for Policy Studies, one of the oldest and most influential think tanks in Westminster. With a focus on taxation, economic growth, business, welfare, housing and green growth, its goal is to develop policies that widen enterprise, ownership and opportunity. Key Findings For many years, the UK has adopted a

Key Findings The Section 232 tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum raised the cost of production for manufacturers, reducing employment in those industries, raising prices for consumers, and hurting exports. The jobs “saved” in the steel-producing industries from the tariffs came at a high cost to consumers, at roughly $650,000 per job saved according

The latest inflation report confirms that prices for just about everything continue to rise, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) up 8.3 percent over the last year and many categories up even higher, including food (11.4 percent) and energy (23.8 percent). While not part of the CPI, another measure of inflation (call it the Taxpayer

Ernest S. Christian, Jr., (1937-2022) was one of the tax policy community’s most distinguished and influential experts, showing us how effective sound tax policy can be. He passed away on September 13th, leaving behind a legacy of tax reform. Ernie gave up a lucrative career in law and government to devote the last nearly three

The Inflation Reduction Act created numerous tax subsidy programs intended to accelerate the transition to a greener economy. The justification for climate change action is strong, but there are two possible approaches to take which we might colloquially call carrots and sticks. Carrots are subsidies designed to reduce emissions—think tax credits for green energy or carbon

Key Findings Massachusetts’ tax advantage in New England is primarily driven by its competitive individual income tax rate and its sales and use tax structure. The graduated income tax amendment would be paid by many small businesses, in addition to wealthy individuals. The proposed surtax is likely to have negative economic effects that will impact

With record inflation now squeezing American household budgets, you can thank our Senior Fellow Emeritus Steve Entin for shielding U.S. workers from being pushed into higher tax brackets. If ever there was a paycheck protection program, defending people from bracket creep may be the most important one ever designed. It all started some 40 years

Most countries’ personal income taxes have a progressive structure where tax rates increase as individuals earn higher wages. However, if wages are pushed up by inflation, people may pay higher taxes even if their real earnings have not increased. This is known as bracket creep. In the first quarter of 2022, labor costs in the

Idaho Governor Brad Little (R) has called a special session for September 1, 2022, to consider another round of tax reform and relief legislation that would return surplus revenue to taxpayers while making the state’s tax code more economically competitive. House Bill 1 would move Idaho to a flat income tax structure, reduce the rate from

Whether you intended to be a landlord or you fell into it because you had vacant property you couldn’t or didn’t sell, owning rental property is a source of income and it affects your tax return. Knowing the rules can help you maximize the tax advantages of owning rental property and help you create a

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of testifying before members of the New Mexico legislature regarding policies that could generate greater economic growth and promote more stable revenue streams for the state. That afternoon, I heard a particular comment raised more than once: there are many factors that influence why a business might

Gov. Mike Parson (R) has called the Missouri legislature into a special session beginning September 6th, with the goal of reducing the individual income tax from 5.4 percent to 4.8 percent and raising the standard deduction. An income tax reduction is a competitive move, especially in a rapidly changing tax landscape, but the legislature should

Key Findings 100 percent bonus depreciation allows firms an immediate tax deduction for investments in qualifying short-lived assets. The phaseout of 100 percent bonus depreciation, scheduled to take place after the end of 2022, will increase the after-tax cost of investment in the United States. Preventing the phaseout and making 100 percent bonus depreciation a