Congressional Research Service Reports - 234 Matching Results
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- 2012 Farm Bill: Changing the Treatment of LIHEAP Receipt in the Calculation of SNAP Benefits
- This report describes the contents of the 2012 Farm Bill, cost reducing measures in the Farm Bill, and the implications of both of these. Specifically, the report focuses on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) which is a cost saving measure that addresses how certain deductions from income will be calculated.
- Certain Temporary Tax Provisions Scheduled to Expire in 2009 (“Extenders”)
- This report discusses numerous temporary tax provisions exist in the tax code. Often referred to as “extenders,” these provisions were originally enacted with an expiration date that has then been temporarily extended, in some cases numerous times.
- Employee Stock Options: Tax Treatment and Tax Issues
- No Description Available.
- The Federal Excise Tax on Gasoline and the Highway Trust Fund: A Short History
- A history and overview of current issues relating to the gasoline excise tax.
- Should the United States Levy a Value-Added Tax for Deficit Reduction?
- Report that discusses the levying of a value-added tax (VAT), a broad-based consumption tax, to potentially assist in resolving United States fiscal problems. It considers the experiences of the 29 nations with value-added taxes (VATs) in the 30-member Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which are relevant to the feasibility and operation of a possible U. S. VAT.
- Should the United States Levy a Value-Added Tax for Deficit Reduction?
- This report discusses the levying of a value-added tax (VAT), a broad-based consumption tax, to potentially assist in resolving United States fiscal problems. It considers the experiences of the 29 nations with value-added taxes (VATs) in the 30-member Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) which are relevant to the feasibility and operation of a possible U.S. VAT.
- Tax Gap: Should the 3% Withholding Requirement on Payments to Contractors by Government Be Repealed?
- This reports discusses tax gaps and withholding, and concerns and legislation regarding these issues in the 112th Congress.
- Tax Gap: Should the 3% Withholding Requirement on Payments to Contractors by Government Be Repealed?
- This report covers the background and current status of three bills introduced to the 112th Congress to repeal Section 511 withholding provisions. The bills are S. 89, S. 164, and H.R. 674, as well as S.Amdt. 405 to S.782, the Economic Development Revitalization Act of 2011.
- Tax Reform: An Overview of Proposals in the 111th Congress
- This report primarily covers fundamental tax reform by discussing background and proposals for review during the 111th Congress. It includes sections about fundamental tax reform, the relationship between income and consumption, what should be taxed, types of broad-based consumption taxes, international comparisons, other types of fundamental tax reform, legislative proposals and other legislation, and sections looking at other specific kinds of taxation.
- Tax Reform: An Overview of Proposals in the 112th Congress
- This report primarily covers fundamental tax reform. CRS reports are available online concerning the other three categories of tax reform: tax reform based on the elimination of the individual alternative minimum tax (AMT), proposals for reforming the corporate income tax, and proposals for reforming the U.S. taxation of international business.
- Tax Reform: An Overview of Proposals in the 112th Congress
- This report gives an overview of tax reform issues. The President and leading members of Congress have stated that fundamental tax reform is a major policy objective for the 112th Congress. Some Members have said that fundamental tax reform is needed in order to raise a large amount of additional revenue, which is necessary to reduce high forecast budget deficits and the sharply rising national debt. Congressional interest has been expressed in both a major overhaul of the U.S. tax system and the feasibility of levying a consumption tax.
- Tax Reform: An Overview of Proposals in the 112th Congress
- This report gives an overview of tax reform issues. The President and leading members of Congress have stated that fundamental tax reform is a major policy objective for the 112th Congress. Some Members have said that fundamental tax reform is needed in order to raise a large amount of additional revenue, which is necessary to reduce high forecast budget deficits and the sharply rising national debt. Congressional interest has been expressed in both a major overhaul of the U.S. tax system and the feasibility of levying a consumption tax.
- Value-Added Tax (VAT) as a Revenue Option: A Primer
- This report summarizes issues, arguments, and concerns relevant to a value-added tax (VAT).
- U.S. Renewable Electricity: How Does the Production Tax Credit (PTC) Impact Wind Markets?
- This report discusses the use of wind as a power source, including: production tax credits (PTC), U.S. electricity demand growth, and the price of natural gas. Issues for Congress include whether or not the PTC will be extended.
- PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified
- This report explains Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), with an analysis of the five major factors affecting the calculation of a payment to a given county. It also describes the effects of certain legislative changes to PILT in 2009 and 2012.
- PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified
- This report explains Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) payments, with an analysis of the five major factors affecting the calculation of a payment to a given county. It also describes the effects of certain legislative changes in PILT in 2009 and 2012.
- PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified
- This report explains Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), with an analysis of the five major factors affecting the calculation of a payment to a given county. It also describes the effects of certain legislative changes to PILT in recent years.
- PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified
- This report explains Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), with an analysis of the five major factors affecting the calculation of a payment to a given county. It also describes the effects of recent legislative changes to PILT.
- PILT (Payments in Lieu of Taxes): Somewhat Simplified
- This report explains Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT), with an analysis of the five major factors affecting the calculation of a payment to a given county. It also describes the effects of recent legislative changes to PILT.
- The American Opportunity Tax Credit: Overview, Analysis, and Policy Options
- This report provides both an in-depth description of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, an analysis of its economic impact, and an overview of various policy options.
- The American Opportunity Tax Credit: Overview, Analysis, and Policy Options
- This report provides both an in-depth description of this tax credit and an analysis of its economic impact. This report is organized to first provide an overview of the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), followed by a legislative history that highlights the evolution of education tax credits from proposals in the 1960s through the recent extension of the AOTC at the end of 2012. This report then analyzes the credit by looking at who claims the credit, the effect education tax credits have on increasing college attendance, and administrative issues with the AOTC. Finally, this report concludes with a brief overview of various policy options, including tax law changes proposed in Chairman Camp's tax reform bill3 and in the President's FY2015 budget request.
- The American Opportunity Tax Credit: Overview, Analysis, and Policy Options
- This report gives an overview of the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC)—enacted on a temporary basis by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and extended through the end of 2012 by the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010— which is a partially-refundable tax credit that provides financial assistance to taxpayers who are attending college, or whose children are attending college. There are a variety of policy options mentioned in the report regarding the AOTC, including extending the credit, extending a modified AOTC, or repealing the Hope and Lifetime Credits and extending a modified AOTC that includes provisions included in these credits.
- Child and Dependent Care Tax Benefits: How They Work and Who Receives Them
- This report discusses the workings of the child and dependent care tax benefits and who is eligible.
- Child and Dependent Care Tax Benefits: How They Work and Who Receives Them
- This report provides a general overview of the child and dependent care tax benefits, focusing on eligibility requirements and benefit calculation. The report also includes some summary data on these benefits which highlight some of the characteristics of claimants.
- The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): An Economic Analysis
- This report discusses the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), which is a refundable tax credit available to eligible workers earning relatively low wages
- Higher Education Tax Benefits: Brief Overview and Budgetary Effects
- This report provides a brief overview of the higher education tax benefits that are currently available to students and their families. These tax benefits can be divided into three groups: incentives for current year expenses, incentives for preferential tax treatment of student loan expenses, and incentives for saving for college.
- Higher Education Tax Benefits: Brief Overview and Budgetary Effects
- This report provides a brief overview of the higher education tax benefits that are currently available to students and their families. The report contrasts higher education tax benefits with traditional student aid, presents a brief history of higher education tax policy over the past 60 years, summarizes key features of the available tax benefits, and provides JCT estimates of revenue losses resulting from individual tax provisions.
- Higher Education Tax Benefits: Brief Overview and Budgetary Effects
- This report provides a brief overview of the higher education tax benefits that are currently available to students and their families. The report contrasts higher education tax benefits with traditional student aid, presents a brief history of higher education tax policy over the past 60 years, summarizes key features of the available tax benefits, and provides JCT estimates of revenue losses resulting from individual tax provisions.
- An Overview and Comparison of Senate Proposals to Extend the “Bush Tax Cuts”: S. 3412 and S. 3413
- This report provides an overview of the Bush tax cuts, followed by brief summaries of the Reid and Hatch proposals, respectively. Revenue loss estimates of certain provisions of these bills are also included, as well as a brief summary of H.R. 8. In addition, detailed summary tables comparing the Reid and Hatch proposals—to each other and to current law—are provided. Finally, this report concludes with a brief overview of the current policy debate surrounding the partial or full extension of the Bush tax cuts.
- An Overview of Tax Provisions Expiring in 2012
- A number of tax provisions have either expired at the end of 2011 or are scheduled to expire at the end of this year. This report provides an overview of these expiring provisions.
- An Overview of Tax Provisions Expiring in 2012
- A number of tax provisions either expired in 2011 or are scheduled to expire at the end of this 2012. As Congress decides whether to extend these provisions, it may consider the estimated revenue losses associated with their extension as well as other factors when evaluating tax policy. In the 112th Congress, Members have yet to consider legislation that would extend all of the provisions discussed in this report, although legislation to extend certain provisions has been considered.
- An Overview of the Tax Provisions in the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012
- This report provides an overview of the tax provisions (Titles I-IV and Title X of P.L. 112-240) included in the "fiscal cliff deal," including the permanent extension and modification of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, often referred to collectively as the "Bush-era tax cuts"; the temporary extension of certain tax provisions originally included as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA; P.L. 111-5), often referred to as the "2009 tax cuts"; the permanent extension of the alternative minimum tax (AMT) patch; the temporary extension of a variety of other temporary expiring provisions for individuals, businesses, and energy often referred to as "tax extenders" and the expansion of in-plan conversions of traditional employer-sponsored retirement accounts (like 401(k) plans) to employer-sponsored Roth accounts (like Roth 401(k) plans).
- Tax-Preferred College Savings Plans: An Introduction to 529 Plans
- This report provides an overview of the mechanics of 529 plans and examines the specific tax advantages of these plans for those families saving for college.
- What Share of Taxpayers Would See a Tax Increase or a Tax Decrease Under a Senate Version of the Tax Reform Bill
- This report provides a brief overview and charts illustrating statistics about who would receive tax cuts, tax increases, or stay the same under the Senate version of the Tax Reform Bill.
- Tax Reform: The Child Credit and the Child Care Credit
- This report discusses the child credit and the child care credit and what changes are being made to them in the new tax reform plan currently being debated. This report provides background to help assess who would be assisted by potential changes to either credit. It shows what types of families with children receive both credits and how the credits are distributed across the income distribution.
- Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) Filers and the Child Tax Credit: Overview and Legislation
- This report discusses the child tax credit, which was created by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (P.L. 105-34) to help ease the financial burden on families when they have children. The ACTC is available to taxpayers with little or no federal income tax liability.
- Residential Energy Tax Credits: Overview and Analysis
- This report discusses current residential energy tax credits, options to extend or modify them, and an analysis of their effectiveness.
- Residential Energy Tax Credits: Overview and Analysis
- This report explores one policy option for promoting residential energy efficiency: tax credits. It begins by providing an overview of the current residential energy-efficiency tax credits. The report then goes on to provide an economic rationale for residential energy-efficiency tax incentives, introducing the concept of "market failures" and "market barriers" which may lead to suboptimal or "economically inefficient" investment in energy-efficiency technologies. The final sections of this report provide an economic analysis of the primary tax incentives for residential energy efficiency and briefly review various policy options.
- The Federal Tax Treatment of Married Same- Sex Couples
- This report provides an overview of the federal tax treatment of same-sex married couples, with a focus on the federal income tax.
- The Potential Federal Tax Implications of United States v. Windsor (Striking Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)): Selected Issues
- This report will provide an overview of the potential federal tax implications for same-sex married couples of the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruling in United States v. Windsor, with a focus on the federal income tax. Estate tax issues are also discussed. Importantly, this report focuses on changes in the interpretation and administration of federal tax law that may result from the SCOTUS decision.
- Medicare: History of Insolvency Projections
- This Congressional Research Service Report for Congress details Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) financing as well as history of solvency and current insolvency projections.
- Medicare: History of Insolvency Projections
- This Congressional Research Service Report for Congress details Medicare Hospital Insurance (HI) financing as well as history of solvency and current insolvency projections. Updated June 1, 2011.
- Spending and Tax Expenditures: Distinctions and Major Programs
- This report identifies the largest spending and tax expenditures across eight major categories of federal activity: (1) defense and international affairs; (2) general science, space and technology, natural resources and the environment, and agriculture; (3) commerce and housing, community and regional development, and transportation; (4) education, training, employment, and social services; (5) health, including Medicare; (6) income security; (7) Social Security and veterans' benefits; and (8) administration of justice and general governance.
- Border-Adjusted Consumption Taxes and Exchange Rate Movements: Theory and Evidence
- This report provides a basic framework for understanding how and why exchange rates could respond to a Border-Adjusted Tax (BAT). It first describes a BAT(which does not tax exports) and uses several examples to illustrate how one works. It then summarizes the standard economic theory of how exchange rates should respond to a BAT, as well as the arguments against the theoretical predictions. Finally, this report reviews the existing literature that has empirically investigated the relationship between exchange rates and BAT systems in other countries.
- The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): An Overview
- This report discusses the earned income tax credit (EITC), established in the tax code in 1975, which offers cash aid to working parents with relatively low incomes who care for dependent children.
- The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): An Overview
- This report provides an overview of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), first discussing eligibility requirements for the credit, followed by how the credit is computed and paid. The report then provides data on the growth of the EITC since it was first enacted in 1975. Finally the report concludes with data on the EITC claimed on 2015 tax returns, examining EITC claims by number of qualifying children, income level, tax filing status, and location of residence.
- The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC): An Overview
- The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable tax credit available to eligible workers earning relatively low wages. This report provides an overview of the EITC, first discussing eligibility requirements for the credit, followed by how the credit is computed and paid. The report then provides data on the growth of the EITC since it was first enacted in 1975. Finally the report concludes with data on the EITC claimed on 2012 tax returns, examining EITC claims by number of qualifying children, income level, tax filing status, and location of residence.
- Eligibility and Determination of Health Insurance Premium Tax Credits and Cost-Sharing Subsidies: In Brief
- Certain individuals without access to subsidized health insurance coverage may be eligible for premium tax credits, as established under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA; P.L. 111-148, as amended). This report examines these tax credits and their eligibility requirements, as well as cost-sharing subsidies.
- Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Expenditures
- In 1986, the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) was enacted to fund U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE or the Corps) activities related to the routine operation and maintenance (O&M) of harbors, namely the dredging of harbor channels to their authorized depths and widths. Economic and equity issues related to HMT expenditures and collections are the main focus of this report. Before analyzing these issues, the report reviews the legislative history of the tax and legal challenges to it, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of alternative funding mechanisms, and describes the commercial context of current dredging activity. The last section identifies legislation related to harbor maintenance funding.
- Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund Expenditures
- This report reviews the legislative history of the Harbor Maintenance Tax (HMT) and legal challenges to it, discusses the advantages and disadvantages of alternative funding mechanisms, and describes the commercial context of current dredging activity.