Taxes

There are many similarities between being self-employed and being a small business owner. Both allow you to be your own boss, for one thing! But in the eyes of the IRS, your formal business classification can mean very different things when it comes to filing your taxes and reporting your business income. Here’s how to

The global minimum tax has upended many conversations about international tax policy, including in the United States. The goal of the policy is to set a worldwide 15 percent minimum effective tax rate on corporate profits and enforce it through a set of interconnected rules. If enough countries adopt those rules, then even those that

In the coming weeks, we will break down our 2022 State Business Tax Climate Index, released in December, with maps illustrating each of the five major components of the Index: corporate taxes, individual income taxes, sales and excise taxes, property and wealth taxes, and unemployment insurance taxes. Today we look at states’ rankings on the corporate tax component, which accounts

One of the greatest challenges of lawmaking is recognizing when a beautiful theory must succumb to an ugly fact. The purity of conceptual policymaking must take the real world into account and acknowledge that things that work well “in theory” sometimes fail spectacularly to meet expectations “in practice.” It would be wonderful if a policy

You may have heard about new tax reporting rules for businesses using third-party payment apps such as PayPal, Cash App, Venmo, Zelle, etc. This has caused some confusion for app users, but we’re here to help you understand how it will (or won’t) affect your taxes next year. What’s changed? Until this year, payment platforms

We know it’s tempting, but don’t put off filing your taxes! Taxpayers must stay on top of tax deadlines to avoid possible penalties and interest charges for late filing. Falling behind on your tax filing obligations can be stressful. It’s better to file taxes early or on time so you can stop worrying about your

Key Findings The waning pandemic and robust economic recovery have come with many benefits—plentiful jobs and fast-growing (nominal) incomes—but also serious challenges such as high and rising inflation. Rather than pushing for more fiscal stimulus or leaving it to the Federal Reserve to handle inflation through higher interest rates, policymakers should focus on boosting the

Both taxpayers and the IRS will face some unique challenges when filing and processing federal tax returns for tax year 2021. To help you out, here are five tips that will help you avoid delays and ensure a smoother tax filing process for both sides. 1. Collect all tax documents before filing To file the

European countries—like almost all countries around the world—require businesses to pay corporate income taxes on their profits. The amount of taxes a business ultimately pays on its profits depends on both the corporate tax base and the corporate tax rate. Today’s map shows how statutory corporate income tax rates compare across European OECD countries. Taking

There are very few tax breaks available for low-income adults who don’t have children. Thankfully, some important changes were made to the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) last year, making this vital tax benefit available to many more Americans. Wondering if you might qualify to claim this fully refundable tax credit in 2021? Read on

Rising inflation has become a dominant issue for policymakers in the past year, with the most recent report finding inflation has risen 7.5 percent over the past 12 months. Some lawmakers have proposed suspending the gas tax to reduce inflation. Rising gas prices are certainly one piece of the inflation puzzle—but suspending the gas tax

Some people never received or didn’t get their full stimulus payment amount in 2021. If this applies to you, or if you gained any dependents in 2021, you might be able to claim the 2021 Recovery Rebate Credit — even if you don’t usually file taxes. Check out our FAQs below for general information on

Policy and economic differences among OECD countries have created variances in how they raise tax revenue, with the United States deviating substantially from the OECD average on some sources of revenue. Different taxes create different economic impacts, so policymakers should always consider how tax revenue is raised and not just how much is raised. This

A group of lawmakers in Ohio have proposed to repeal the state’s gross receipt tax (GRT), also known as the commercial activity tax (CAT). House Bill 234 would phase out the tax over five years. Ohio’s CAT, implemented in 2005 as part of tax reform that lowered and consolidated business taxes, is one of only a

Table of Contents Key Findings Individual income taxes are a major source of state government revenue, accounting for 36 percent of state tax collections in fiscal year 2020, the latest year for which data are available. Forty-two states levy individual income taxes. Forty-one tax wage and salary income, while one state—New Hampshire—exclusively taxes dividend and

Alabama lawmakers are acting to ensure that federal relief from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) does not increase tax liabilities in the state. Senate Bill 152, which addresses the issue, recently passed and has been referred to the Ways and Means Committee. This unusual issue is a consequence of Alabama offering a state-level deduction

Developed countries raise tax revenue through a mix of individual income taxes, corporate income taxes, social insurance taxes, taxes on goods and services, and property taxes. The mix of tax policies can influence how distortionary or neutral a tax system is. Taxes on income can create more economic harm than taxes on consumption and property.

The economic harms of the gross receipts tax (GRT) were well understood by the early 20th century. Not only is the tax inequitable, but it is also inefficient and distortionary. That is why most states abandoned GRTs in the early 1900s, as states developed the capacity to administer less harmful taxes. Unfortunately, some policymakers in

Amid record surpluses, Michigan lawmakers are looking to give relief to taxpayers and enhance the state’s competitive standing. Senate Bill 786, which recently reported from committee, would reduce both the corporate and individual income tax rates to 3.9 percent as of January 1, 2022. It would also create a tax credit of $500 for each

Raising kids is expensive. Thankfully, becoming a parent comes with some valuable tax breaks — most notably, the Child Tax Credit (CTC). What is the Child Tax Credit? The CTC is a tax credit for parents of dependent children designed to help offset the cost of raising kids. For tax year 2021, the CTC is