Taxes

While much of Washington is focused on negotiations over a government spending bill on competitiveness with China, Reps. Jackie Walorski (R-IN) and Jim Banks (R-IN) introduced a commonsense policy to boost U.S. competitiveness. The Renewing Investment in American Workers and Supply Chains Act would improve the tax treatment of investments in structures, such as factories…

The saga of Proposition 208, Arizona’s income surtax, appears to have finally reached its conclusion but some structural uncertainly remains. The initiated state statute, which assessed a 3.5 percent surtax on income over $250,000 ($500,000 for joint filers), was approved by voters on Election Day 2020. But by the end of November, a lawsuit (Fann…

You’ve successfully e-filed your taxes. Congratulations! Now, where’s your refund? Here’s what happens to your return once it’s submitted to the IRS. The Process of Getting Your Refund E-filing your tax return with TaxAct is easy, fast, and secure. After completing the Q&A interview, TaxAct checks your return for errors and guides you through the simple e-file…

Households across the country are struggling with the effects of high inflation. We usually think of inflation in terms of higher prices which erode purchasing power, but the interaction of inflation with tax codes hit many taxpayers with a one-two punch. Not only do taxpayers’ incomes not go as far, but a greater share of…

When is something a tax for purposes of the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act but not a tax for purposes of the Tax Injunction Act? It sounds like the world’s dullest riddle, but it was an actual question posed in federal court. There are some genuinely good answers to the question, but the court largely…

Like many states, Kentucky is experiencing another year of robust budget surpluses while projecting several years of continued revenue growth, and policymakers are looking for ways to return some of the extra tax collections to taxpayers as they budget for the upcoming fiscal biennium. With regular legislative proceedings winding down, the House and Senate (both…

In his State of the Union Address, President Biden called for leveling the global research & development (R&D) playing field by increasing federal R&D spending, specifically by asking Congress to pass the bipartisan United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA). While USICA proposes increasing government investment in R&D, it does not address a recent tax…

Key Findings Policymakers on both the left and right have brought industrial policy back into focus after slow growth over the past few decades and growing concern over the state of America’s manufacturing sector. In the context of the tax code, industrial policy usually comes in the form of non-neutral subsidies for specific industries or…

You’ve heard about writing off your internet bill as a business expense — but can it also count as an education expense? We cover the answer to this question and many more. As virtual learning becomes more prevalent after the pandemic, many students and parents are wondering if there are any new tax benefits for…

The Council of the EU agreed this week on a general approach to the European Commission’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) proposal. The mechanism is a key aspect of the EU’s broader Fit for 55 package which aims to cut 55 percent of net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the EU by 2030. It’s also…

Nobody wants to drag out the tax filing process — just make sure you aren’t sacrificing accuracy for speedy filing. To help you avoid making any costly errors this year, we’ve put together six common mistakes taxpayers make when filing their federal tax returns so you know how to prevent them ahead of time. 1….

Note: This post was originally published on July 1, 2021 but has been updated to reflect the latest details on the global tax agreement. In recent years, countries have been debating significant changes to international tax rules that apply to multinational companies. Following a July announcement by countries involved in negotiations at the Organisation for Economic…