Taxes

Thin capitalization occurs when companies finance investments and operations through a level of debt far higher than their level of equity. High-tax countries create an incentive for companies to finance investments with debt because interest payments are tax-deductible, while the costs associated with equity financing are most often not. Some multinational corporations take advantage of

When you file your taxes, you may discover that you owe money to the government. If it’s a large sum of money, you might find you are unable to pay it right away. If you find yourself in this situation, it is strongly advised that you sign up for an IRS payment plan to avoid

Some of President Biden’s tax proposals, such as taxing unrealized capital gains at death, are specifically aimed at reducing wealth inequality. Indeed, it is commonly asserted that wealth inequality is too high and rapidly growing over time. However, new research from Federal Reserve Bank of Boston economists suggests wealth inequality has grown less than previously

Table of Contents Key Findings As states close their books for fiscal year 2021, many have much more revenue on hand than they anticipated last year. In 2021, 11 states have enacted laws to reduce their income tax rates, with 10 reducing individual income tax rates and five reducing corporate income tax rates. In many

The IRS issued the first round of monthly payments for the Child Tax Credit last week on July 15. Families who are eligible for the credit based on their most recently filed tax return received the payments via direct deposit or paper check. Monthly payouts will continue throughout the rest of the year with families

The Biden administration has proposed to significantly increase the tax burden on foreign income through a policy known as Global Intangible Low-Tax Income (GILTI). While the administration’s rhetoric focuses on doubling the tax rate on GILTI from 10.5 percent to 21 percent, this is less than half the story. The rate on GILTI is going

Businesses’ tax liability can differ markedly across states, and policymakers often pay attention to this competitive tax landscape. What is less often remarked upon, however, is the variation of tax treatment within a given state. Different industries and activities can face radically different tax burdens within the same state due to non-neutralities in the tax

Later this month more than 39 million households are set to receive advance payments of the Child Tax Credit (CTC) that was expanded in the March 2021 American Rescue Plan. Many households are uncertain about how the advance payments will affect their refunds or taxes owed when they file next year, and some questions about

Today, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden (D), and Sen. Cory Booker (D) released their discussion draft—the Cannabis Administration and Opportunity Act—for federal descheduling of marijuana. While federal descheduling impacts all states, it does not deschedule marijuana in states which choose to keep their own ban. Nevertheless, descheduling would

In 2020 and 2021, Congress enacted three rounds of economic impact payments (EIPs) for direct relief to households amidst the pandemic-induced downturn. Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that households increasingly saved their EIPs or used them to pay down debt rather than spend them. About 90 percent of tax filers and millions

File a tax return extension for the first time this year? Here are a few things to consider before the Oct. 15 extension deadline. 1. E-file for a faster refund. If you believe you’ll receive a refund after filing, the quickest way to get your money is to e-file your return using a trusted tax

Businesses around the world often operate in more than one country, making them subject to multiple tax jurisdictions. To prevent businesses from minimizing their tax liability by taking advantage of cross-country differences, countries have implemented various anti-tax avoidance measures, such as the so-called Controlled Foreign Corporation (CFC) rules. Controlled Foreign Corporation rules apply to certain income

President Biden’s tax proposals released as part of his fiscal year 2022 budget would collect about $2 trillion in new tax revenue from businesses over 10 years. This new revenue would bring income tax collections on businesses as a portion of GDP to its highest level on a sustained basis in over 40 years. Income

Table of Contents 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

The United Nations (UN) recently released its annual “World Investment Report,” which shows the dramatic fall in global foreign direct investment (FDI) caused by the COVID-19 crisis. A partial recovery is expected for 2021, with the most optimistic scenario showing a return to 2019 FDI levels by 2022. However, uncertainty remains high, with the ongoing

Since 2018, 30 states and the District and Columbia have legalized and imposed taxes on sports betting. States that have yet to legalize, but which may do so, should pay attention to the impact of tax design in states that already have legal and taxed sports betting—specifically tax base design. Despite the attention always given

When most people think about “business taxes,” the corporate income tax is usually the first that comes to mind. Corporate income taxes generate sizable tax burdens for businesses—especially at the federal level—but at the state level, the corporate income tax is just one of many taxes businesses pay. For many companies, state corporate tax burdens

Today’s map focuses on states’ effective tax rates on owner-occupied housing. This is the average amount of residential property taxes actually paid, expressed as a percentage of home value. Because property taxes are tied to housing values, it makes sense that the actual dollar amounts of property taxes tend to be higher in places with

The digitalization of the economy has changed how and where we work. Huddles at the boss’s desk have been replaced by morning video conferences, long nights at the office by incongruous hours flexed around extracurriculars, and dreary days in a metropolitan apartment by weeks in exotic (or at least comfortable) retreats. A question for policymakers

Tax reform has paid off for the Tar Heel State. North Carolina features one of the nation’s most competitive tax environments for businesses across the industry spectrum, and the state currently boasts the nation’s third-best effective tax rates for newly established firms and fifth-best rates for mature firms, according to a new analysis conducted by