AEI.Org: Scholar: Alan D. Viard

Fundamental Tax Reform in California

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A discussion of the possibility of replacing the California sales tax and personal and corporate income taxes with a broad-based consumption-oriented retail sales tax.

Two Cheers for Corporate Tax Base Broadening

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Economic analysis provides partial, but not complete, support for proposals to broaden the corporate tax base and lower the statutory tax rate.

25 Ways to Make the Tax Code Fairer, Simpler, and More Efficient

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Twenty-five changes to personal and business income taxes could improve the simplicity, efficiency, and fairness of the income tax system.

Four Long-Term Fiscal Realities

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The United States faces a long-run fiscal imbalance because of rapid projected growth in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid spending. The policy response will be shaped by four long-term fiscal realities.

Institutional Foundations of Public Finance: Economic and Legal Perspectives

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Institutional Foundations of Public Finance is not only a fitting tribute to David Bradford, but it is also a book that should be of interest to economists studying any of the topics that it covers.

The Cap-and-Trade Giveaway

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A cap-and-trade system with freely allocated permits is equivalent to a carbon tax in which the tax revenue is given to stockholders.

Don't Give Away the Cap-and-Trade Permits!

Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Any policy to control carbon dioxide emissions should take the form of a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade system with all permits sold at auction.

Keynes at the Border?

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

A common fallacy holds that imposing taxes on imports and rebating taxes on exports would stimulate the economy.

Comment on Leonard E. Burman, "A Blueprint for Tax Reform and Health Reform"

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Leonard E. Burman's tax and health care reform proposal would be a considerable improvement over the policies that are likely to prevail in the absence of reform.

Border Tax Adjustments Won't Stimulate Exports

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The compelling case for replacing income taxation with consumption taxation has nothing to do with border adjustments.

What Should We Expect from Fiscal Stimulus?

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

There is still much that we do not know about the proper design of fiscal stimulus.

A First Step Toward Fiscal Responsibility

Mon, 26 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Congress should establish a bipartisan commission to address our long-term fiscal imbalance.

Tax Policy during the Recession: The Role of Fiscal Stimulus

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Fiscal stimulus does not create output and jobs from thin air, but simply "borrows" them from the future.

Playing Bridge

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

What is a conservative infrastructure strategy, and how could it work under the Obama administration?

The Real Problem with Obama's Tax Plan

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 01:00:00 +0100

How should an honest fiscal conservative view Obama's tax plan?

Effective Marginal Tax Rates, Part 2

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Different types of tax provisions shape effective marginal tax rates on income, and some basic principles should govern the roles of these provisions in setting effective marginal tax rates.

The Taxation of Carried Interest

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The proper treatment of carried interest depends upon a number of unresolved economic issues.

Effective Marginal Tax Rates, Part 1

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Different types of tax provisions shape effective marginal tax rates on income, andsome basic principles should govern the roles of these provisions in setting effective marginal tax rates.

The Folly of Obama's Tax Plan

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Barack Obama's proposed "tax cuts for the middle class" are actually marginal rate hikes in disguise.

Data Contradict Johnston's Statement about Redistribution

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The federal tax system is highly progressive, with the highest-income 1 percent of the population paying one-quarter of all federal taxes.

Viard Replies to Johnston

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Alan D. Viard explains that the federal tax system is highly progressive.

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Balkanization for Some, but Not All, Bonds

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Viard critiques the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision in Kentucky Dept. of Revenue v. Davis, which upheld state income tax exemptions for residents' holdings of home-state municipal bonds.

The Fiscal Picture, Today and Beyond

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The new president and Congress will face many new tax policy choices.

Selective Private Activity Bond Exemption Issue Still Unresolved

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

In Kentucky Department of Revenue vs. Davis, the Supreme Court chose not to resolve the validity of the current state treatment of private activity bonds.

Benefit Growth That We Can't Afford

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Asthe number of workers earning wages steadily falls, we cannot afford to link retirement benefits to the average worker's wages.

Discussion of "Consumption Tax Reform: Changes in Business Equity and Housing ...

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Switching from the current income tax to a consumption tax would cause only modest declines in the prices of stocks and owner-occupied homes.

Higher Taxes for Whom?

Sun, 23 Mar 2008 01:00:00 +0100

Taxes need to be increased over a wide range of incomes, not just on the wealthy.

Social Security: We Need a Solution, Not a Shell Game

Mon, 17 Mar 2008 01:00:00 +0100

There are a number of misconceptions about the future of Social Security.

The FairTax: A Response to Adler's Critique

Mon, 28 Jan 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The discussion of border adjustments and other fallacies threatens to obscure the important issues at stake in the debate over fundamental tax reform.

A Simple Fix for Social Security

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Ending the little-known adjustment of starting benefits to wages will wipe out Social Security's long-term imbalances without tax increases.

The Dormant Commerce Clause and the Balkanization of the Municipal Bond Market

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0100

The selective income taxexemption for home-state municipal bonds at issue in Davis v. Kentucky Department of Revenue is a barrier to interstate commerce.

Making the Case for Consumption Taxation

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Consumption taxation offers a better combination of efficiency and equity than alternative tax systems.

Tax Pariahs: Oil, Gas, and Adult Movies

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Bills moving through Congress indicate the Democrats' propensity to tax certain industries more than others for political reasons.

Warning: Tax Danger Ahead

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Taxpayers can take some steps to protect themselves from the comingjolt of the alternative minimum tax.

Taxation of Corporate Gains on Sales of Depreciable Property

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

This report examines the taxation of corporate gains on depreciable business property, an important topic that has received little attention in the economic literature.

Free the Munis!

Tue, 29 May 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Should interstate trade be restricted?

A Free-Market Outpost in the Midwest

Thu, 17 May 2007 00:00:00 +0100

A new bookfeatures the influential economists at the University of Chicago.

Another Response to Prof. Thompson

Mon, 09 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Alan D. Viard on tax and revenue estimates.

Where's the Growth?

Thu, 05 Apr 2007 00:00:00 +0100

We can learn a thing or two about tax policyfrom Reaganomics.

At Minimum . . .

Tue, 09 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Is raising the minimum wage a bad idea?

The Tone May Change But Impact Will Be Limited

Tue, 02 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0100

How will Democratic leadership in both chambers of Congress affect economic policy?

Why LIFO Repeal Is Not the Way to Go

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 00:00:00 +0100

We should strive to keep our imperfect tax system as neutral as possible, allowing the allocation of capital to be determined by market forces.

Death, Taxes, and Uncertainty: The Estate Tax in 2010 and Beyond

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:00:00 +0100

How to Simplify the Code for Low-Income Taxpayers

Tue, 12 May 2009 09:00:00 +0100

Repatriation Tax Holiday: What Have We Learned?

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 09:00:00 +0100

Tax Policy Lessons from the 2000s

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 09:00:00 +0100

Responding to the Recession: Exploring the Stimulus Options

Mon, 12 Jan 2009 11:00:00 +0100

Progressive Consumption Taxation: Can It Be Done? Should It Be Done?

Fri, 24 Oct 2008 09:15:00 +0100

The End of Prosperity: How Higher Taxes Will Doom the Economy--If We Let It Happen

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 10:00:00 +0100

Tax Policy Lessons from the 2000s

Fri, 30 May 2008 08:50:00 +0100

100 Million Unnecessary Returns: A Simple, Fair, and Competitive Tax Plan for the United ...

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:00:00 +0100

The History, Impact, and Future of Private Equity

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 15:00:00 +0100

Municipal Bonds, State Income Taxes, and Interstate Commerce

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 10:00:00 +0100

How Should Private Equity Fund Managers Be Taxed?

Wed, 19 Sep 2007 14:00:00 +0100

Options to Fix the Alternative Minimum Tax

Mon, 16 Apr 2007 09:00:00 +0100

Do We Tax Energy Enough?

Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:30:00 +0100

Taxing Corporate Capital Gains: Economic Implications and Policy Options

Fri, 23 Mar 2007 11:00:00 +0100

Taxing Sales under the FairTax: What Rate Works?

Wed, 28 Feb 2007 10:00:00 +0100

The 2007 State of the Union

Tue, 23 Jan 2007 09:30:00 +0100

The Minimum Wage and Employment

Mon, 04 Dec 2006 10:00:00 +0100

The Research Tax Credit: Gone Today, Here Tomorrow?

Wed, 15 Nov 2006 09:00:00 +0100

Simplifying and Improving the Tax Code

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0100

In testimony before the President's Task Force on Tax Reform, Alan D. Viard describes ways to simplify and improve the federal income tax system.

Climate Change Legislation: Allowance and Revenue Distribution

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100

The environmental effects of cap and trade with free allocation are similar to those of a carbon tax or a cap-and-trade program with auction of allowances. Unfortunately, the economic consequences are much less benign.

Middle-Class Tax Cuts

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Congress faces critical decisions about middle-class tax relief in the next two years.

Testimony on Economic Stimulus

Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Most of the appropriated spending included in the stimulus package moving through Congress will occur too slowly to provide an effective stimulus to aggregate demand.

Fiscal Stimulus and Medicaid

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Alan D. Viard argues that monetary policy and automatic fiscal stabilizers provide the best response to the current downturn.

Testimony before House Ways and Means Committee

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Increases in infrastructure spending are not an effective way to provide short-run stimulus to the economy.

Implications of Economic Trends for Workers, Families, and the Nation

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Over the years, therehas been arise in economic inequality, growth in the middle class, low incomes are growing, and the progressive taxes keep thewealthy payinga large share of the tax burden.

Supreme Court Amicus Brief in Davis v. Kentucky Department of Revenue

Fri, 21 Sep 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Amicus brief on the Writ of Certiorari to the Court of Appeals of Kentucky.

The Spread of the AMT

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 00:00:00 +0100

The fundamental reason for the spread of the alternative minimum tax is that the exemption amount has never been indexed to inflation

Tax Fairness: Policy and Administration

Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:00:00 +0100

How can the administration make tax policy as fair as possible?

Here Today, Gone Tomorrow: Income Taxation of Cash Flow Reversals

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Individuals and firms sometimes receive money that they are required to partially or fully repay in a later year.

The Dormant Commerce Clause and the Balkanization of the Municipal Bond Market (with ...

Mon, 22 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0100

The selective income tax exemption for home-state municipal bonds at issue in Davis v. Kentucky Department of Revenue is a barrier to interstate commerce.

The Taxation of Corporate Gains on Sales of Depreciable Property (Technical Version)

Mon, 04 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Corporate capital gains deserve a closer look.

The Welfare Effects of Pay-as-You-Go Retirement Programs

Fri, 22 Sep 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Working paper on thepolicy implicationsof pay-as-you-go retirement plansin regard totax and benefit timing.

Big Business: The Other Engine of Economic Growth

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Political rhetoric--and policy--favor small business, but, in reality, big businesses play a critical role in economic growth and job creation.

The X Tax: The Progressive Consumption Tax America Needs?

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The Bradford X tax offers an attractive, if little-known, form of progressive consumption taxation.

Three Cheers for the Decline of the Corporate Income Tax

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Rather than colluding to maintain the corporate income tax, countries should switch to better-designed revenue sources.

The Trouble with Taxing the Young

Tue, 02 Oct 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Shifting the tax burden to older workers would allow the young to save more, invest more, pay down debts, and put the United States on a firmer fiscal footing.

The Trouble with Taxing Those at the Top

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Raising tax rates for the top 1-2 percent of taxpayers is an inefficient way of generating revenue.

The Fiscal Policy Agenda of the New Congress

Fri, 19 Jan 2007 00:00:00 +0100

Although the pay-go rule will probably be manageable this year, how will it fare in 2008?

The Alternative Minimum Tax

Tue, 07 Nov 2006 00:00:00 +0100

Some people have hailed the alternative minimum tax as a flat, low-rate, broad-based tax that would be a good replacement for the regular income tax. A closer look dispels this rosy view.

Benefit Growth That We Cannot Afford

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Social Security is financially unsustainable in its current form, but by keeping benefits on an even keel, we can put it on a sound financial footing.