Skip to content

Tax Policy Blog

Stay informed with quick and accessible analysis of today's top tax policy topics. Read Tax Foundation's Tax Policy Blog for insight from our experts on tax policies across the US and abroad.

To find our most recent research papers and data, click the links below.

Blog Articles

6349 Results
AI Tax Policy

When Taxing AI, Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

AI technology has a wide range of potential economic outcomes. It would be a mistake to tailor tax policy to the extreme end of that range. Still, policymakers shouldn’t do nothing: they should instead make tax reforms that are sound regardless of which AI scenario emerges.

7 min read
EU VAT Compliance Gap, Europe Tax Revenue Government

The EU’s Questionable VAT Policy

The value-added tax (VAT) compliance gap—the additional VAT revenue that could be collected if all taxpayers, consumers, and businesses fully complied with VAT rules—continues to increase, reaching €128 billion in 2023.

8 min read
Inflation Reduction Act IRA repeal and reforms

Will the OBBBA Tax Cuts Grow the US Economy?

Over the long run, OBBBA’s permanent extension of lower marginal tax rates on work, saving, and investment lays a solid foundation for stronger economic growth.

6 min read
Federal tobacco tax proposal state taxes Build Back Better Act Biden American Families Plan proposal to tax unrealized capital gains at death, taxing unrealized gains death proposal, capital gains at death policies tax refund tax refunds tax cut 2018 tax season tax filing

Tax Refunds and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act

When taxpayers file their 2025 tax returns in 2026, many will see larger refunds than in recent years. That’s due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which reduced individual income taxes for 2025 by an estimated $129 billion.

4 min read
Tax systems of Scandinavian countries, Denmark, Sweden, Norway

How Scandinavian Countries Pay for Their Government Spending

Scandinavian countries are well known for their broad social safety nets and their public funding of services such as universal health care, higher education, parental leave, and child and elderly care. High levels of government spending naturally require high levels of taxation. So, how do these countries raise their tax revenues?

7 min read
European tax trends, EU tax reform

Tax Trends in European Countries

As European countries have undertaken a series of tax reforms designed for budgetary stability, policymakers should focus on consumption taxes by making them more neutral and efficient.

15 min read
alcohol spirits

How Fixed-Rate Excise Taxes Can Produce Unintended Harm

Fixed-rate excise taxes are often adopted to reduce harm, curb excessive consumption, or discourage dangerous behaviors. However, without attention to how consumers substitute between products, well‑meaning policies may exacerbate the very harm they aim to prevent.

5 min read
Chicago Bears relocation Illinois to Indiana, Sports Stadium Public Funding

Chicago Bears Threaten Relocation over Illinois Taxes

The Chicago Bears are threatening to relocate from Illinois to Indiana as they negotiate over taxes and public financing. Illinois’ uncompetitive and burdensome tax environment makes it difficult for the NFL team to operate.

4 min read
Best Global Tax Ranking Improvements | 2025 International Tax Competitiveness Index

Movers and Shakers in the International Tax Competitiveness Index

For the past 12 years, the International Tax Competitiveness Index has examined which countries have truly embraced tax competitiveness and which ones have lagged behind. Our experts examine how country rankings have changed over time and identify the largest movers and shakers.

5 min read
states with the higest property taxes, where do people pay the most in property taxes in the united states

Excise Taxes Cannot Replace Property Taxes

While rising property values and taxes have intensified calls for reform, the reality is that property taxes fund the lion’s share of local services and lack a viable substitute. Excise taxes are far too narrow to fill the gap, and a poor candidate for filling any meaningful portion of it.

4 min read
Debt Limit Deadline and Growing National Debt Demand Action CBO long-term budget forecast federal spending national debt and deficit CHIPS and Science Act Biden estate tax unrealized capital gains at death Federal capital gains tax collections historical data CBO releases new long-term budget outlook, The national debt is now projected to nearly double by 2050

How Does the OBBBA Impact Debt, Deficits, and Tax Revenue?

Our modeling indicates the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) will boost economic growth but increase deficits, leading to record high debt in 2028 that rises to 124 percent of GDP by 2034.

7 min read
GILTI to NCTI, State Tax Codes Decouple

Some States Will Tax NCTI Despite Prior Votes to Exempt International Income

Several states have decoupled from GILTI by name rather than statutory citation. Lawmakers in those states should amend these statutes to ensure that their tax code does not accidentally incorporate a much more aggressive tax on international income than the tax from which they previously decoupled.

6 min read