Alternatives to the Us Tax System
Alternatives to the U.S. Tax System
Both the American people and members of the Federal Government have long griped about the current U.S. Personal Income Tax System. Bush’s Advisory Panel for Federal Tax Reform stated that, “the complexity of our tax code breeds a perception of unfairness and creates opportunities for manipulation of the rules to reduce tax”.[1] The Tax Foundation estimates that $338 billion of time, energy, money, and other resources, are spent annually completing tax returns.[2] Three main proposals, the Flat Tax, the VAT Tax, and the FairTax, are being hailed on the Hill today as the solution to our current onerous tax system. While all have benefits and draw backs, the FairTax is the best alternative to the U.S. Tax System in that it is the only tax that reduces the tax burden on Americans by taxing the underground economy, simplifies the tax system, and taxes consumption instead of savings. One of the simplest options proposed currently on the Hill is the Flat Tax, a system where both businesses and people are taxed a fix percent of their income. With the Flat Tax, just one simple post card would be needed for a family to file their personal income tax. Based on their labor income (found on the W-2) they would be taxed a flat rate on this amount, without taking into account any deductions.[3] Of the three proposals, the Flat Tax is the most similar to the current tax code, in that it continues to tax income, yet still varies in that it does not allow deductions. Some see the end of deductions as a drastic change in a country where many people make decisions based on the tax effect, but in the long run people would learn to adapt. For example, currently half of the money given to charity is not even claimed as a deduction. Furthermore, earlier tax cuts imposed by Reagan on the rich were met with a similar worry about making charitable deductions less tax beneficial, yet contributions were found to double.[4] The second
Both the American people and members of the Federal Government have long griped about the current U.S. Personal Income Tax System. Bush’s Advisory Panel for Federal Tax Reform stated that, “the complexity of our tax code breeds a perception of unfairness and creates opportunities for manipulation of the rules to reduce tax”.[1] The Tax Foundation estimates that $338 billion of time, energy, money, and other resources, are spent annually completing tax returns.[2] Three main proposals, the Flat Tax, the VAT Tax, and the FairTax, are being hailed on the Hill today as the solution to our current onerous tax system. While all have benefits and draw backs, the FairTax is the best alternative to the U.S. Tax System in that it is the only tax that reduces the tax burden on Americans by taxing the underground economy, simplifies the tax system, and taxes consumption instead of savings. One of the simplest options proposed currently on the Hill is the Flat Tax, a system where both businesses and people are taxed a fix percent of their income. With the Flat Tax, just one simple post card would be needed for a family to file their personal income tax. Based on their labor income (found on the W-2) they would be taxed a flat rate on this amount, without taking into account any deductions.[3] Of the three proposals, the Flat Tax is the most similar to the current tax code, in that it continues to tax income, yet still varies in that it does not allow deductions. Some see the end of deductions as a drastic change in a country where many people make decisions based on the tax effect, but in the long run people would learn to adapt. For example, currently half of the money given to charity is not even claimed as a deduction. Furthermore, earlier tax cuts imposed by Reagan on the rich were met with a similar worry about making charitable deductions less tax beneficial, yet contributions were found to double.[4] The second
Cited: "About the FairTax." Fairtax.org. 2009.Web. . Armey, Dick (Congressman). "There 's a Flat Tax in Our Future." Nevada Journal. 1995.Web. September 18, 2010 . Clark, Derek. "10 Pros and Cons of the Fair Tax." Geek Politics. January 29, 2009 2009.Web. . Cremata, Edward. "The Consumption Tax: Macroeconomic Effects and its Potential as a Tool for Discretionary Fiscal Policy." (2008)Web The FairTax (Real Reform) Vs. the Flat Tax (More of the Same): A Comparison. Fairtax.org, 2007. Web. Frank, Robert H. "Hey, Big Spender: You Need a Surtax." The New York Times (2010): BU4. Web. September 26, 2010. Mitchell, Dan. "The Global Flat Tax Revolution " April 15, 2010 2010.Web. . Mitchell, Daniel. "Eliminate Tax Brackets and Complicated Forms with a Flat Tax." U.S. News & World Report (2010)Web. September 18, 2010. Murphy, Cait. "VAT: New Tax Coming Soon?" CBS.Web. CBS: moneywatch.com. September 26, 2010 . President’s Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform. Simple, Fair, and Pro-Growth: Proposals to Fix America’s Tax System., 2005. Web. Ulbrich, Holley. "Flat Tax is Class Warfare." U.S. News & World Report (2010)Web. September 18, 2010. Vance, Laurence M. "The Fair Tax Fraud." May 18, 2005 2005.Web. October 4, 2010 . "VAT: General Overview." April 30, 2010 2010.Web. . [2] Dan Mitchell, “The Global Flat Tax Revolution,” 15 April, 2010, 18 Sept. 2010, Web. [3] Daniel Mitchell, “Eliminate Tax Brackets and Complicated Forms With a Flat Tax,” U.S. News & World Report,” 12 April 2010, 18 Sept. 2010. Web. [4] Dick Armey, “There’s a Flat Tax in Our Future,” Nevada Journal, 1995, 18 Sept. 2010, Web. [7] Holly Ulbrich, “Flat Tax is Class Welfare,” U.S. News & World Report,” 12 April 2010, 18 Sept. 2010, Web. [10] “VAT: General Overview,” European Commission: Taxation and Customs Union, 2010, 26 Sept. 2010, Web. [11] Cait Murphy, “ VAT: New Tax Coming Soon?,” CBS: moneywatch.com, 9 April 2010, 26 Sept. 2010, Web. [12] Cait Murphy, “ VAT: New Tax Coming Soon?” [13] “About The Fairtax,” The Fairtax.org, 2009, 30 Sept [14] “The FairTax (real reform) vs. the flat tax (more of the same): A comparison” Fairtax.org, 2007, 30 Sept. 2010, Web, 5. [15] Edward Cremata, “The Consumption Tax: Macroeconomic Effects and its Potential as a Tool for Discretionary Fiscal Policy,” Consumption Tax Research and News Center, 2008, 26 Sept. 2010, Web. [19] Derek Clark, “10 Pros and Cons of the Fair Tax,” Geek Politics, Jan 29. 2009, Sept. 30, 2010. Web. [20] Laurence Vance, “The Fair Tax Fraud,” Ludwig von Mises Institute, May 18, 2005, Oct. 4, 2010. Web.