Taxes

Updated Sept. 12, 2022 At the end of August 2022, President Biden revealed that borrowers could get up to $10,000 of their federal student loans forgiven. If you received a Pell Grant, a federal grant designed to provide student aid to those from low-income households, you could have up to $20,000 of your federal student…

On Thursday, the Social Security Administration (SSA) announced the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for Social Security payments based on inflation over the previous year. This has brought renewed attention to how the tax code treats Social Security benefits, which can be a confusing subject for taxpayers. Each year, SSA adjusts Social Security benefits for inflation, much like…

Whether you file early or wait until the tax deadline, there are simple things you can do today to help you cruise through tax season. Use the following five tips to start getting organized. Step 1: Know when your tax documents will arrive Your tax forms should arrive in the mail starting in January. When…

“Tax fairness” has been a lingering theme in EU policy circles since the 2008 financial crisis and subsequent Euro crisis. The prevailing sentiment among policymakers is that European tax authorities need to work together to eliminate tax fraud and avoidance because government budgets depend on these missing revenues to provide essential public services. Without them,…

Babydog would like you to vote against Amendment 2. Or at least that’s what the English Bulldog’s owner, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R), claims, and absent the emergence of a Dr. Doolittle on the Kanawha, who is there to gainsay him? The Republican governor’s opposition to the ballot measure pits him against Republicans in…

If you are self-employed and work at home — even just part-time — you may claim a tax deduction for expenses related to your home office. Alas, if you’re an employee who has been working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that amazing home office deduction you’ve heard so much about does not apply….

Executive Summary The Regional Tax Competitiveness Index (RTCI) for Spain allows policymakers, businesses, and taxpayers to evaluate and measure how their regions’ tax systems compare. This Index has been designed to analyze how well regions structure their tax system. Additionally, it serves as a road map for policymakers to reform their tax systems and make…

Every year, millions of Americans pack up and move from one state to another, providing unique insights into what people value when deciding where to live, work, and raise a family. For many years, policymakers, journalists, and taxpayers have debated the role state tax policy plays in individuals’ and businesses’ location decisions. Annual data about…

A new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report on wealth inequality trends over the last 30 years has generated much concern that wealth inequality is too high. Some attribute this to policy choices that the U.S. has made over the past few decades, implying that policy changes could significantly reduce the wealth gap. While there is…

Key Findings Alaska’s heavy reliance on oil and gas taxes and investment income creates extreme revenue volatility and complicates revenue forecasts. Alternative revenue streams cannot easily displace existing sources. For example, to raise as much of its revenue from an income tax as the average state does, Alaska would need to have income tax burdens…

On 30 September, the Council of the European Union agreed to impose an EU-wide windfall profits tax on fossil fuel companies to fund relief for households and businesses facing high energy prices (due primarily to Putin’s war on Ukraine). Given the dire economic environment for families and the urgency to transition away from Russian energy,…

When NFL star wide receiver Tyreek Hill weighed offers from the New York Jets (who play in New Jersey) and the Miami Dolphins, no doubt there was a lot on his mind. But one consideration towered over the rest, at least according to Hill himself: signing with the Jets “was very close to happening,” but…