The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy
Impact of Key Trump Policies on Taxes and Costs: National and State Estimates
The major tax and economic policies of President Trump’s second term have increased taxes and household costs for most Americans except the richest 1%.
Featured Interactives
What's New
Tax Justice Now
• By Amy Hanauer
Affordability, corruption, and inequality topped the list of what most enraged Americans in last week's election. Tax policy is key to fixing these issues and to addressing looming threats that would make inequality and affordability worse.
Colorado Voters Ditch Flat Tax, Opt to Tax the Rich and Corporations
• By Aidan Davis, Dylan Grundman O'Neill
Colorado voters approved Amendment 87, also known as Initiative 195, which will give the vast majority of Coloradans an income tax cut. Only households in the richest 5 percent will pay more. The state will raise approximately $2 billion a year in new revenue to fund K-12 education, healthcare, and childcare.
Utah Latest State to Make Headway Against Montana Car-Registration Tax Dodge
• By Eli Byerly-Duke
Car owners from around the country have for years tried to avoid paying their fees and taxes by titling their cars in Montana under a shell company to avoid sales taxes and fees in their state of residence.
Circuit Breaker Credits: The Best Tools for Property Tax Affordability
• By Brakeyshia Samms, Nick Johnson
Robust and well-publicized circuit breakers have immense potential to improve property tax affordability and reduce the overall regressive tilt of property tax systems.
Let Them Eat Cheesecake: Federal Tax Breaks for Restaurant Chains Encourage Low Pay and Low Corporate Tax Rates
• By Matthew Gardner
Six restaurant companies – Cheesecake Factory, Brinker (the parent company of Chili’s), Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden), Bloomin’ Brands (Outback Steakhouse), Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, and Texas Roadhouse – collectively disclosed $2.5 billion of U.S. profits last year on which they paid tax rates averaging 5.4 percent, far below the statutory 21 percent.
ITEP in the News
Washington Sun: Data Centers’ Next Big Tax Break Is Splitting Congress
The Caucus: As Nation Confronts Affordability Crisis, More Wealth, Income Tax Measures Appeared On State Ballots
Newsweek: 5 States Vote for Major Changes to Income Tax
Yahoo Finance: ‘Tax the Rich’ Won in Ballot Measures Across the US
The New Yorker: Are Voters Ready to Eat the Rich?
ITEP Work in Action
Oregon Center for Public Policy: Tax Cuts for the Rich, Higher Prices for Everyone Else: the Net Effect of Trump’s Inflationary Policies
National Conference of State Legislatures: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Wealth Taxes
Vanderbilt Policy Accelerator: 34 Ways to Tax AI
Economic Policy Institute: Voters in Colorado and Florida Face Major Tax Questions on the November Ballot
D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute: Raising Revenue Is Necessary for the District’s Finances and Future
Across the States
Who Pays? 7th Edition
Who Pays? is the only distributional analysis of tax systems in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This comprehensive 7th edition of the report assesses the progressivity and regressivity of state tax systems by measuring effective state and local tax rates paid by all income groups.
State-by-State Map Effective tax rates where you live Download the Report Full 7th edition, PDFState Rundown & On the Map
On the Map
State & Local Tax Policy
Colorado Voters Ditch Flat Tax, Opt to Tax the Rich and Corporations
• By Aidan Davis, Dylan Grundman O'Neill
Utah Latest State to Make Headway Against Montana Car-Registration Tax Dodge
• By Eli Byerly-Duke
Circuit Breaker Credits: The Best Tools for Property Tax Affordability
• By Brakeyshia Samms, Nick Johnson
Voters Pass Ballot Measures to Raise and Protect Revenue, Tax the Rich
• By Aidan Davis, Jon Whiten
The ITEP Guide to State & Local Taxes
A detailed primer on state and local tax policy for citizens, advocates, journalists, and policymakers. Learn about the three main sources of revenue (income, property, and sales) and the principles that shape tax codes.
Explore the Guide
Expert's View
Carl Davis
Research DirectorThe Geographic Distribution of Extreme Wealth in the U.S.
Excessive concentration of wealth runs counter to our national aspiration for genuine equality of opportunity, and it saps the vitality of our democracy through the consolidation of power and influence. Tax policy offers a powerful means of beginning to address our nation’s stark level of inequality, but current law is clearly falling short of its potential.
Steve Wamhoff
Federal Policy DirectorWashington Post: Trump’s tax law includes a $40,000 SALT cap. Here’s who qualifies.
SALT cap or no SALT cap, the mega bill overall is a bonanza for the rich in every state.
Miles Trinidad
State AnalystCT Mirror: Sales tax holidays under fire as CT launches its promotion
A two- to three-day sales-tax-free shopping spree for selected items does nothing to reduce taxes for low- and moderate-income taxpayers during the other 362 days of the year.
Institute on Taxation
and Economic Policy
ITEP is a non-profit, non-partisan tax policy organization. We conduct rigorous analyses of tax and economic proposals and provide data-driven recommendations to shape equitable and sustainable tax systems.
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