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When President Franklin D. Roosevelt created the Social Security program with the 1935 Social Security Act he revolutionized the way Americans would live for decades to come. While social security has served the American populace well, the system can no longer sustain itself long enough to provide the same benefits for the future generations of retirees without a major overhaul.
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Where the federal government is concerned, taxing the public is pretty much equivalent to federal spending. Don’t get lost in the legal language associated with taxing—tax credits, tax deductions, exemptions, and exclusions are colorful words that describe adding money to bank accounts, not subtracting money from them.
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The Church of Scientology is getting a lot of attention these days thanks to “Going Clear”, HBO’s recent documentary on Scientology and a number of its practices. One aspect of Scientology which is receiving even more attention than before is the church’s tax-exempt status. Part of the controversy extends to how the Church of Scientology actually received its tax-exempt status—and to just what ends it uses it. After being hit with over 2,400...
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If you’re willing to relocate, you can save quite a bit of money on taxes. By shopping around from state to state, you can save significant amounts on your bill for business or personal taxes. According to Entrepreneur, individuals can save 10% to 30% simply by moving. States and municipalities set widely different tax rates on personal income, gas, property and sales. Your business could enjoy major savings in a different state.
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With growth from the gaming industry leveling off in most locations, many Native American tribes are now considering a brand new source of income in states where marijuana has been legalized, either medically and recreationally. As more and more states–including New York–legalize marijuana in one form or another, Native Americans will have a huge advantage over other retailers in the business: Tribal earnings are not subject to...
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When the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2013, the U.S. government was compelled to recognize at the federal level same-sex marriages from any state where they’ve already been legalized. Nevertheless, no matter if you live in a state where same-sex marriage is recognized, partially recognized, or illegal, taking on the challenge of tax returns can be difficult. From the filing process itself to understanding how...
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Let’s face it: income inequality exists. However, local and state taxes have a big role to play in the redistribution of wealth. Some states have less stringent tax policies than other states—a relief to many taxpayers who would otherwise have to tithe their income to Uncle Sam. However, many state tax systems are considered regressive, with negative impacts on certain residents. So which states are toughest for the average American taxpayer?
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Poverty is a global issue, from developing nations and those struggling with corruption or political turmoil to economic superpowers like the United States. In fact, a 2014 report from the Census Bureau reported that the poverty rate in the U.S. actually rose—one in five American adults now lives below the poverty line, up from one in seven in 1980. Some argue that the burden placed on low-income taxpayers in the U.S. is responsible for perpetuating...
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Childhood obesity is a complex issue, ad medical experts and social scientist have been in a gridlock about how to fix the problem for years. Now some economists argue that taxing junk foods could tip the scales in the right direction. One study by the University of North Carolina showed that a 10% price increase on soft drinks and pizza caused customers to consume far fewer calories from these items. A $1.00 price increase for soft drinks...
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Of all the sovereign nations on the planet, there are only two that tax their citizens’ income earned while living abroad: the United States and, perhaps surprisingly, China. Most countries ascribe to the philosophy that taxation should be primarily national rather than global, but both the United States and China require their citizens living abroad to pay domestic taxes on income earned worldwide. Since these two...