The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center aims to improve tax and fiscal policy decision-making by producing independent, timely, and accessible analysis.

We are best known for our microsimulation model, which predicts how a policy proposal will affect people of different income levels, ages, and with or without children living at home. We recently enhanced the model so we can analyze effects by race and ethnicity as well. Our tables are used across the ideological spectrum and regularly cited by the media.

But TPC offers much more than modeling. Our staff includes nationally recognized experts on taxpolicy development and implementation, who conduct research on emerging issues and regularly provide technical assistance to policymakers.

TPC also plays a critical role in providing basic education about the tax code for policymakers, advocates, journalists, and the broader public. Popular resources include our frequently downloaded Briefing Book, TaxVox blog, and events where we feature leading figures and fresh perspectives in tax policy.

In addition, because TPC is housed at two powerhouse think tanks, we are able to dive deeply into economic and social policy issues that intersect with tax policy. This provides critical capacity at a time when policymakers at all levels of government are looking to the tax code to achieve their goals.

TPC does not have a policy agenda. As an organization, we are not driving towards specific policy goals, and we don’t have an ideological orientation. Instead, we are a collection of independent voices—individuals with a range of policy preferences but a shared commitment to rigorous analysis and getting at the truth. We aim to help others understand:

• how tax policy affects different groups of people,
• how tax policy affects revenues and the economy, and
• how to use the tax code as effectively as possible when seeking a policy outcome.