Abolish the IRS—and the Income Tax Too
Americans spent an estimated $133 billion and 6.5 billion hours filing their tax returns in 2024.
Income tax
Is Being a Mom Bad for Your Career?
A recent study showed women experience a short-term "motherhood penalty" but their earnings rebound within a decade.
Where Is Trump's Plan To Cut Spending?
The former president says the government should be funded like it was in 1890. So where's the plan to reset spending to 1890s levels?
Trump and Harris' Economic Plans Are Depressingly Similar
Both campaigns represent variations on a theme of big, fiscally irresponsible, hyper-interventionist government.
Carving Out a Tax Cut Just for Tips Doesn't Make More Sense When Kamala Harris Does It
Exempting tips from the federal income tax would add to the deficit and unfairly penalize nontipped workers. It's a bad idea no matter who is pitching it.
Biden and Trump Hope to Tip the Election Scales With Working-Class Proposals
Competing visions on tipping policies highlight the differences in the candidates’ approaches to winning over working-class voters—but neither will provide much benefit.
IRS Crackdown Nets Enough Revenue To Fund the Government for 90 Minutes
The Biden administration's $60 billion expansion of the IRS has netted $1 billion in new revenue so far.
The GOP Once Claimed To Be the Party of 'Fiscal Responsibility.' So Why Not Reform Social Security?
Reasonable options include gradually raising the minimum retirement age, adjusting benefits to reflect longer life expectancies, and implementing fair means-testing to ensure benefits flow where they're actually needed.
Prosecutors Are Still Hedging on Exactly What 'Crime' Trump Tried To 'Aid' or 'Conceal'
This week the judge presiding over Trump's trial ruled that jurors do not have to agree on any particular legal theory.
Brace for Big Tax Hikes in 2026 Unless Congress Acts
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expires at the end of 2025, with a high price tag for most Americans.
This Tax Week, Remember That the Federal Income Tax Is Relatively New
There are many pervasive myths about the U.S. tax code. Here are a few.
Don't Forget To Claim Drug Dealing Income on Your Taxes
According to IRS guidance, any income derived from illegal activity is taxable, and there's no statute of limitations on when they can go after you.
The Real Tax Gap
Wealthier Americans pay a record share of federal taxes, but voters (and President Joe Biden) believe they're freeloading.
Congress Continues To Make the Tax Code Ridiculously Hard To Understand
I shouldn't have to spend so much money on an accountant every year. But I don't really have a choice.
Expanding the Child Tax Credit Would Perpetuate Systemic Poverty
The policy is a true budget buster and is ineffective in the long term.
Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey Loves Barry Goldwater and Milton Friedman
The former governor argues that beating up on businesses "is only sharpening the knife that the left will eventually use on us."
Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey Loves Barry Goldwater and Milton Friedman
The former governor argues that beating up on businesses "is only sharpening the knife that the left will eventually use on us."
Baseball Star Shohei Ohtani's New Contract Is a Massive Tax Avoidance Scheme. Nice!
He could save $98 million by dodging California's state income taxes with his unusual, eye-popping contract.
Yes, Heavy Regulation Hurts the Economy. Just Look at France.
We're often told European countries are better off thanks to big-government policies. So why is the U.S. beating France in many important ways?
Reason Can Do More Good With Your Money Than Government Can: Contribute to Our Annual Webathon
Get the warm, fuzzy feeling of dodging the taxman while supporting our journalism. Plus, cool swag!
Democrats Say They're Fighting Inequality. But Many of Their Policies Favor the Rich.
Over the last several years, they have worked nonstop to ease the tax burden of their high-income constituents.
Jim Jordan Is Trying To Buy the Speakership With Tax Breaks for Wealthy Residents of Blue States
It's a maneuver that makes little fiscal, philosophical, or political sense, but thankfully it also seems unlikely to work.
Five Years Later, Philadelphia's Soda Tax Is Falling Flat
The city wanted to bring in more money, in part for early childhood education. But such taxes are disproportionately paid by the poor.
The IRS Misplaced Millions of Taxpayer Records. Again.
The only effective means of keeping tax collectors from misusing data is keeping it from them.
The Democratic Governor Who Wants Drug Legalization and Free Markets
"Government in general does a lot of things that aren't necessary," says Jared Polis.
Massachusetts' Wealth Tax Encouraged NBA's Grant Williams To Sign With Dallas
Grant Williams breaks down the math: "$54 million in Dallas is really like $58 million in Boston."
Supreme Court to Consider Scope of Congress's Taxing Power under the 16th Amendment
The question presented is whether the 16th Amendment authorizes Congress to tax unrealized sums without apportionment among the states.
Simplify the Tax Code Instead of Creating an IRS Rival to TurboTax
Americans collectively spend billions of hours each year preparing their taxes. Rather than adding a government-run website into the mix, politicians should just simplify the tax code.
Taxes Are Not the Mark of Civilized Society
Contra the famous quotation from Oliver Wendell Holmes, there's nothing particularly civilized about the way our governments spend the money we provide.
Is Clarence Thomas Ethically Challenged?
Plus: What the editors hate most about the IRS and tax day
Auditors Asked the IRS To Figure Out Why So Many Taxpayers Make Mistakes. The IRS Said 'No.'
Maybe taxpayers would make fewer mistakes if the federal tax code weren't so hopelessly complex.
IRS Is 48 Days Late To Issue Report Telling American Public How It'll Spend New $80 Billion
The agency’s new report tells us practically nothing of significance.
New York Lawmakers Want To Use a 'Netflix Tax' To Pay for the Subway
From delivery fees to streaming taxes, New York can’t stomach having MTA users actually pay for the system themselves.
Federal Employees Don't Like Paying Taxes Either
Uncle Sam's own workers owe $1.5 billion, and growing, in unpaid taxes.
IRS Plans To Raid Workers' Tip Jars
A coming crackdown on $1.6 billion in unreported tips will continue the IRS' long and ugly history of targeting low-income Americans.
Democrats Say They Support Green Energy. Why Do Their Policies Say Otherwise?
If you look closely, you'll find a lot of contradictions.
The IRS Serves Its 'Customers' by Terrifying Them
A $2.1 million penalty for failing to file a form on time reveals the agency’s true nature.
House Republicans Want a Vote On the FairTax. Is It Worth Supporting?
The status quo is certainly worth challenging.
Did the House Rebellion Against Kevin McCarthy Have an Upside?
Plus: a lightning round recollection of comical political fabulists
Democrats May Regret Compromising Taxpayer Privacy To Get Trump
The release of the former president’s tax returns sets a dangerous precedent.
Congress Can Reduce the Deficit by $7.7 Trillion in 10 Years
The Congressional Budget Office projects that future deficits will explode. But there's a way out.
Teachers Unions Spent $22 Million Backing Massachusetts 'Millionaire's Tax'
The constitutional amendment is an attempt to undermine the state's flat income tax system.
Netflix Teams Up With the Obamas To Produce Big Government Propaganda
The G Word, a new documentary, only occasionally covers serious issues. But it opts not to do honest reporting.
Liz Truss Is Flailing, Politically and Economically
The British Conservative Party can’t figure out what it wants.
Something Upon Which Americans Can Agree: The FBI and the IRS Suck
Tax collectors and federal cops have always been rotten to the core.
Don't Believe the White House's Promises About Who the New IRS Will Audit
Media "fact-checkers" are taking administration promises at face value and using them to bludgeon Republicans.
The Easy Way To Avoid Federal Income Tax: Move to Puerto Rico
Wherever markets are free, new wealth gets created. Then almost everyone wins.
