Taxes

A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report on wealth inequality trends over the last 30 years has generated much concern that wealth inequality is too high. Some attribute this to policy choices that the U.S. has made over the past few decades, implying that policy changes could significantly reduce the wealth gap. While there is
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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