A longstanding concern of state and local governments is that a federal value-added tax (VAT) could shrink sales tax bases. But a federal VAT could have even bigger effects on other revenues and spending through changes in incomes, relative prices, and asset values. To illustrate the range of...
Many federal tax reform proposals would eliminate the state and local tax (SALT) deduction. Although deficit reduction often is the rationale, there are arguments for eliminating the deduction based on economic efficiency, equity, and improved federal fiscal policy. Eliminating the deduction,...
The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center’s (TPC) microsimulation model produces revenue and distributional estimates of the US federal tax system. This paper describes a reweighting procedure that allows the model to be used for analyzing taxes at the state level. We construct state weights such...
The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center’s (TPC) microsimulation model produces revenue and distributional estimates of the US federal tax system. This paper describes a reweighting procedure that allows the model to be used for analyzing taxes at the state level. We construct state weights such...
The American family is changing. Individuals marry later, divorce more frequently, or live together without being married. Nonmarital births, complex custody arrangements, and multiple generations of families living together are more common, but the tax system has not kept pace. Although tax...
The Long-Term Care Financing Collaborative, an ad hoc group representing a broad ideological spectrum of independent policy experts as well as representatives of consumer groups, the insurance industry, and service providers, has proposed major changes in the way long-term supports and services...
The massive financial market failures that led to the Great Recession have prompted renewed calls for a financial transaction tax (FTT) to discourage excessive risk taking and recoup the costs of the crisis. A well-designed FTT could raise up to about 0.4 percent of GDP ($75 billion in 2017) in...
What we eat and drink can cause obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other conditions. In response, many governments have enacted or are considering taxes on unhealthy food and drinks. This report evaluates the rationale behind such taxes; reviews evidence on their effects; analyzes different...
The federal child tax credit provides a credit of up to $1,000 per child under age 17; the refundable portion of the credit, which is crucial for low-income families, is limited to 15 percent of earnings above a defined threshold. That threshold is set to increase from $3,000 to almost $15,000...
Taxpayers can currently deduct interest on up to $1 million in acquisition debt used to buy, build, or improve their primary residence or a second designated residence. They can also deduct interest on up to $100,000 in home equity loans or other loans secured by their properties, regardless of...
Effects of a Federal Value-Added Tax on State and Local Budgets
A longstanding concern of state and local governments is that a federal value-added tax (VAT) could shrink sales tax bases. But a federal VAT could have even bigger effects on other revenues and spending through changes in incomes, relative prices, and asset values. To illustrate the range of...
Revisiting the State and Local Tax Deduction
Many federal tax reform proposals would eliminate the state and local tax (SALT) deduction. Although deficit reduction often is the rationale, there are arguments for eliminating the deduction based on economic efficiency, equity, and improved federal fiscal policy. Eliminating the deduction,...
Incorporating State Analysis into the Tax Policy Center's Microsimulation Model: Documentation and Methodology
The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center’s (TPC) microsimulation model produces revenue and distributional estimates of the US federal tax system. This paper describes a reweighting procedure that allows the model to be used for analyzing taxes at the state level. We construct state weights such...
Incorporating State Analysis into the Tax Policy Center's Microsimulation Model: Documentation and Methodology
The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center’s (TPC) microsimulation model produces revenue and distributional estimates of the US federal tax system. This paper describes a reweighting procedure that allows the model to be used for analyzing taxes at the state level. We construct state weights such...
Increasing Family Complexity and Volatility: The Difficulty in Determining Child Tax Benefits
The American family is changing. Individuals marry later, divorce more frequently, or live together without being married. Nonmarital births, complex custody arrangements, and multiple generations of families living together are more common, but the tax system has not kept pace. Although tax...
Consensus Framework for Long-Term Care Financing Reform
The Long-Term Care Financing Collaborative, an ad hoc group representing a broad ideological spectrum of independent policy experts as well as representatives of consumer groups, the insurance industry, and service providers, has proposed major changes in the way long-term supports and services...
Financial Transactions Taxes
The massive financial market failures that led to the Great Recession have prompted renewed calls for a financial transaction tax (FTT) to discourage excessive risk taking and recoup the costs of the crisis. A well-designed FTT could raise up to about 0.4 percent of GDP ($75 billion in 2017) in...
Should We Tax Unhealthy Foods and Drinks?
What we eat and drink can cause obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and other conditions. In response, many governments have enacted or are considering taxes on unhealthy food and drinks. This report evaluates the rationale behind such taxes; reviews evidence on their effects; analyzes different...
Reforming the Child Tax Credit: How Different Proposals Change Who Benefits
The federal child tax credit provides a credit of up to $1,000 per child under age 17; the refundable portion of the credit, which is crucial for low-income families, is limited to 15 percent of earnings above a defined threshold. That threshold is set to increase from $3,000 to almost $15,000...
Options to Reform the Deduction for Home Mortgage Interest
Taxpayers can currently deduct interest on up to $1 million in acquisition debt used to buy, build, or improve their primary residence or a second designated residence. They can also deduct interest on up to $100,000 in home equity loans or other loans secured by their properties, regardless of...