Taxes

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

Most countries’ personal income taxes have a progressive structure, meaning that the tax rate paid by individuals increases as they earn higher wages. The highest income tax rate individuals pay differs significantly across European OECD countries—as shown in today’s map. The top statutory personal income tax rate applies to the share of income that falls

The Internal Revenue Service has started sending letters to taxpayers who received advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) payments or the third round of stimulus checks. If you received both or either of these payments, keep an eye on your mailbox and hold onto these IRS letters! They will help you file an accurate income tax

If you received advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) monthly payments last year, you should be getting Letter 6419 from the IRS. This letter details the total advance payments you received last year and lets you know how much of the credit you can still expect to claim when filing your 2021 tax return. However, the

During the pandemic, policymakers relied on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to administer business relief through the tax code. The emergency relief, including business tax refunds for net operating losses (NOLs), was intended to quickly help businesses that lost their source of income during the pandemic. A new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO)

New to small business taxes and all they entail? In this article, we’ll cover some of the most frequently asked small business tax questions, such as what you can and can’t deduct on your tax return, how to save for retirement, and more. Let’s dive right in! What small business expenses can I deduct? As