Taxes

The Most and Least Tax-Friendly States for Middle-Class Families

A recent ranking looks at the sum of taxes paid in different states by a hypothetical family earning $77,000 a year.

  • By Andre Claudio

State Tax Limits Can Hamper Local Fiscal Stability

States should consider adjusting policies that tightly restrict budget flexibility for cities and counties, according to a report from The Pew Charitable Trusts.

  • By Jean Dimeo

The States That Have Cut Income Taxes So Far This Year

Lawmakers have lowered taxes for residents and businesses alike.

  • By Jean Dimeo

Cash for Kids Comes to the United States

The new child tax credit will radically reduce poverty, but millions of the poorest children might miss out.

  • By Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic

How State Finances Fared During the Covid-19 Crisis

A new survey of budget officials shows that economic activity and tax revenue improved or fully recovered for most states by the end of 2020.

  • By Jean Dimeo

Pandemic Growth Led This State to Slash Taxes, Issue Rebates

Tax policy experts and state officials believe Idaho’s rapid economic growth will offset the tax cuts, making them feasible under federal funding rules.  

  • By Andrea Noble

The States With the Stiffest Liquor Taxes

Washington has the highest excise tax rate on distilled spirits ($35.31 per gallon) while New Hampshire and Wyoming have the lowest rates (less than $1), according to the Tax Foundation.

  • By Jean Dimeo

Two States Have Killed the ‘Tampon Tax,’ But Advocates Want More

Bans on taxing menstrual products are growing around the country. Advocates are cheering the victories, but they want legislatures to take faster action because of the ongoing effects of the pandemic.

  • By Barbara Rodriguez, The 19th

As High-tax States Lose Residents, Low-Tax States Gain

About 20% of homebuyers cite lower taxes as the main reason they move to another state, but there are several other important factors, according to a recent analysis.

  • By Brent Woodie

Internet Ads Are a Popular Tax Target for Both Parties

Digital snooping and pandemic profits have fueled anger against tech giants.

  • By Elaine S. Povich, Stateline

Report: Grocery Taxes Impede Food Security for Low-income Americans

About two-thirds of all U.S. counties tax grocery foods, which creates “serious burdens” for the families living at or below the poverty line, according to a Cornell University study.

  • By Brent Woodie

Child Tax Credits were Expanded to the Poorest Families for the First Time. Most of them Still Can’t Get the Money

The historic expansion of the child tax credit this year could slash child poverty in half, but only if the poorest families can access it. Reaching them is a massive task the country has never taken on.

  • By Chabeli Carrazana, The 19th
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Ohio Lawmakers Approve Bill to Allow Teleworkers to Seek Commuter Tax Refunds

The issue of how to tax remote workers has been debated in several states, including New Hampshire, which filed a federal lawsuit against Massachusetts over the practice.

  • By Kate Elizabeth Queram

Analysis: The States with the Largest and Smallest Tax Increases

Legislatures have implemented or are considering tax policy changes that will impact their states’ budgets in fiscal year 2022, according to analysis by Fitch Ratings.

  • By Brent Woodie

Yellen Gets Icy Reception Making Infrastructure Tax Pitch to Chamber

The business group is not onboard with a White House plan to raise taxes on corporations to help pay for public works upgrades.

  • By Bill Lucia

Report: How the American Rescue Plan will Affect State Taxes

Increases in the federal earned income tax credit and child tax credit will boost state tax credits in 25 states, according to the Tax Policy Center.

  • By Brent Woodie

The Tax Landscape is Changing. Here’s How States and Localities Can Keep Up With a Moving Target

COMMENTARY | As businesses adjust the way they operate in a post-Covid era, state and local governments must re-evaluate how to collect taxes and maximize revenue streams.

  • By Kennon Walthall

Bidenomics Really Is Something New

COMMENTARY | The president is willing to take on political fights that Obama and Clinton considered unwise, if not unwinnable. Will that strategy pay off?

  • By Ronald Brownstein, The Atlantic

General, Selective Sales Tax Bases Vary Widely Across States, Report Shows

The range is 36% to 91%, according to the Tax Policy Center. It warned states that raising general sales taxes on businesses due to budget uncertainty might cause higher prices on goods and services.

  • By Brent Woodie

State Lawsuits Over Stimulus Tax Rule Face Uphill Battle

States claim that the rescue plan’s policies violate the 10th Amendment, which helps define the relationship between the federal government and the states.

  • By Jonathan Entin, The Conversation

Another Soda Tax Bill Dies. Another Win for Big Soda

A bill that would have allowed California cities and counties to once again pursue taxes on sugary drinks was just shelved in the legislature without a hearing. Public health advocates blame the political — and financial — clout of the soft drink industry.

  • By Samantha Young, Kaiser Health News