Taxes

A new rankings index is the first ever to rate states’ performance on fines and fees, and the results aren’t flattering. Every state received a failing score with the highest-ranking state — Washington — earning a 54 out of 100. Rounding out the top three are Oklahoma and Rhode Island, which shows that neither political

In the latest episode of Tax Notes Talk, Tax Notes legal reporters Ryan Finley and Kiarra M. Strocko discuss the EU General Court’s judgments in Amazon and Engie and their effect on state aid rules.  David Stewart: Welcome to the podcast. I’m David Stewart, editor in chief of Tax Notes Today International. This week: the state of state

Today’s column addresses questions about whether a number of years with no income taxed by Social Security will actually lower retirement benefits rates, whether it’s possible to be reimbursed for a gap in different types of benefits and how spousal benefit rates are determined. Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and

This year and perhaps next could turn out to be the best time to convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. Income tax rates are likely to increase in the coming years. This year’s tax rates could be the lowest for the rest of our lifetimes. Lifetime income taxes could be substantially lower if

by Tax Notes State Commentary Editor Doug Sheppard In one of the most famous scenes from The Blues Brothers, Sister Mary Stigmata doles out rapid-fire corporal punishment with a ruler on Jake and Elwood Blues, then breaks it on Elwood’s head before Jake crashes down an adjacent flight of stairs in the ensuing chaos. “Get out! And don’t come back until you’ve redeemed yourselves,”

According to the National Law Center on Homelessness & Poverty, there is no clear rule to the effect that living in the land of the free and the home of the brave gives one a right to housing. Nonetheless, the Federal Government has supported affordable housing, in one way or another since the Great Depression. I haven’t found

Today’s column addresses questions about retirement benefits after spousal benefits and possibly filing for and suspending retirement benefits, whether pensions count as income under the earnings test and when to apply for survivor’s benefits. Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the founder and president of Economic Security Planning, Inc, which

There’s a lot of talk in Washington about a compromise infrastructure bill that would include a hike in the federal tax on gasoline and diesel fuel. Bad idea! This segment of What’s Ahead lays out why. Proponents say this tax hasn’t risen in years, and is thereby lagging inflation. And they also point to the

The Biden Administration and Congress have proposed sweeping changes to the way long term capital gains are taxed both during your lifetime and after your death. Although none of these proposals are final, and may never become final, they do raise the question of what tactics are available to reduce or defer the taxes on appreciated

The promoters of Monetized Installment Sales got some bad news from the IRS earlier this month. The IRS released an analysis done by the Office of Chief Counsel outlining six, count them six, ways in which the transaction does not work as the promoters claim. The release will not stop the industry in its tracks, but it

A self-directed IRA lets you invest your retirement account in nontraditional investments. But a recent Tax Court decision shows the dangers of taking shortcuts and not setting up and operating a self-directed IRA the right way. In the case, the taxpayer had a SEP-IRA. The custodian was a national bank. The taxpayer set up a

Yesterday, May 20, 2021, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced S. 994, the “For the 99.5 Percent Act,” to “reinstate estate and generation-skipping taxes, and for other purposes.”. This Act amends the Internal Revenue Code by increasing the gift and estate tax rates from 40% to a high of 65% and decreasing over the basic exclusion

When Joe Biden ran for president, his campaign platform included dozens of relatively specific tax proposals. They ranged from expanding refundable tax credits for low- and moderate-income households to increasing payroll taxes for high-income workers to major changes in the way the US would tax multinational corporations. And, with a few notable exceptions, President Biden’s

On May 19, Colonial acknowledged that it paid $4.4 million worth of bitcoin to the hackers. Well, with bitcoin’s drop, the value might be less now, but the key to taxes is what the value was at the time of payment. In the case of some hacks, the cost of being frozen out is just

Expanding the child tax credit in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 marked an inflection point for social welfare programs in the tax code. The increase in the credit’s value and eligibility changes for households with very low incomes also marked an increase in the progressivity of the tax system. Although the extension of

Today’s column addresses questions about how Social Security survivor’s benefits are calculated if the record holder dies before filing for their retirement benefit, eligibility for benefits on the record of a first spouse after remarriage and taking spousal benefits before full retirement age. Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the

Today’s column addresses questions about whether it’s possible to opt out of contributing to Social Security, Social Security benefits for veterans and filing options when an older spouse dies before the younger spouse reaches full retirement age (FRA). Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the founder and president of Economic

President Biden and Democrats and Republicans in Congress have begun a fascinating game of three-dimensional chess over Biden’s $2.2 trillion infrastructure spending plan and the way to pay for it. As the game begins, it may be worth looking at where public opinion stands on infrastructure spending and how it should be funded. To start,

As the nation struggles with slowing vaccinations, confusing mask guidance, and the long-term economic implications of Covid-19, the future of cities’ central business districts (CBDs) remains unclear.  Will they return to normal, with office workers going back in larger numbers?  Or has there been a permanent change in office work that will require permanent changes in how

Its tax day folks and the process of preparing them can be difficult if not arduous, even though for several years now the IRS has advocated for a free filing system to make it easier for Americans to complete them. Over 40% of Black Americans make less than $40,000 per year, putting them at an