Taxes

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

Today’s map looks at a barrier to state tax competitiveness in a time of increasing mobility: capital stock taxes. Unlike corporate income taxes, which are levied on a business’s net income (or profit), capital stock taxes are imposed on a business’s net worth (or accumulated wealth). As such, the tax tends to penalize investment and requires businesses

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

If 2021 was a big year for state tax reform, 2022 may give it a run for its money. With January now in the books, the 40 states which have convened their legislative sessions—six more will join them, while four states’ legislatures do not meet in odd-numbered years—already show a flurry of activity on taxes,

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

Key Findings Forty-five states and the District of Columbia collect statewide sales taxes. Local sales taxes are collected in 38 states. In some cases, they can rival or even exceed state rates. The five states with the highest average combined state and local sales tax rates are Louisiana (9.55 percent), Tennessee (9.547 percent), Arkansas (9.48

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

Earlier this month, JAMA Internal Medicine published a study about the impact of banning flavored tobacco products in Massachusetts. The study found, not surprisingly, that the sale of flavored tobacco decreased following the ban. By comparing sales in Massachusetts with sales across 27 other states, the authors observed that sales had decreased more in Massachusetts

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

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