Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

ITEP's Research Priorities

New York Times: Panama Papers Leak Casts Light on a Law Firm Founded on Secrecy

April 7, 2016

“Panama isn’t the real story,” said Matt Gardner, the executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a research group based in Washington. “This leak is giving a window into a much broader world, but it should be understood as giving a window into how things work in the U.S. as well.” Read […]

WTSP: The “Panama Papers”: 6 key takeaways

April 6, 2016

“I’m not sure any of us are raising our eyebrows at much of anything here,” said Matt Gardner, executive director of the Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy, adding that Congress needs to put a stop to states such as Delaware that attract companies to incorporate there with a more favorable regime. “It shouldn’t be […]

Voice of America: Why So Few Americans Named in Panama Papers?

April 6, 2016

  “If your goal is secrecy and not having prying eyes find out even the most basic things about what you’re doing and what your company is and who owns it, Wyoming and Nevada are incredibly attractive places from that secrecy perspective,” Matthew Gardner, executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a […]

Virginia Connection Newspapers: Arlington: The Undocumented American Story

April 6, 2016

“An analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found that, in 2012, 8.1 million of the nation’s 11.4 million undocumented immigrants paid state and local taxes, totalling $11.8 billion in revenue.” Read more

Inquirer: Undocumented Filipinos, think tanks debunk freeloading charge

April 6, 2016

“A study by the non-profit, non-partisan Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP) revealed that some 8.1 million of the 11.4 million undocumented workers paid close to $12 billion in state and municipal taxes in 2012. It does not include taxes paid to the federal government, which are often higher.” Read more

Christian Science Monitor: What do the Panama Papers have to do with inequality? A whole lot.

April 6, 2016

  The questions go beyond whether the financial activities were legal or illegal. The news puts names and faces on the problems of political cronyism and tax evasion by the wealthy, and on the global scale of these problems. That’s politically volatile in its own right. But the news, arriving at a time income inequality […]

NBC: Why Are Americans Not Included in the Panama Papers?

April 6, 2016

“First, this was a leak of more than 11 million documents, and it will take some time for the ICIJ to scour them. “So maybe there are revelations about specific Americans and secret funds that we haven’t heard about,” said Matt Gardner, executive director of The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a research organization.” […]

International Business Times: Why Aren’t More Americans In The Panama Papers? Secrecy, Tax Laws In Nevada, Other States Provide Havens

April 6, 2016

“A very small number of states are notorious for allowing pretty much anybody to start a company in the state without requiring even the most basic information,” said Matthew Gardner, executive director of the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy with Citizens for Tax Justice, a progressive think tank and advocacy group in Washington. “There […]

CNN: Panama Papers and America’s problem

April 6, 2016

“Anonymous shell corporations and secret bank accounts are vital resources for those engaged in tax evasion and money laundering. But this web of secrecy has started to crumble in recent years due in part to revelations from whistle-blowers embedded in this complex web of tax havens and fake corporations.” Read more

USA Today: Panama Papers firm linked to over 1,000 U.S. companies

April 6, 2016

“Nearly all of those companies were incorporated in Nevada and Wyoming, two states with permissive corporate secrecy laws. “If your goal is secrecy and not having prying eyes find out even the most basic things about what you’re doing and what your company is and who owns it, Wyoming and Nevada are incredibly attractive places […]

Hartford Business Journal: Unusual CT tax experiment could get new life

April 5, 2016

  The Hartford lawyer said he was unaware of any similar tax program in other states, and Fonfara said the bill wasn’t based on any particular example. Carl Davis, research director for the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a nonpartisan think tank, said he too was unaware of other states using the profit-based assessment […]

Huffington Post: From Ivana, More Trump Immigration Foolishness

April 5, 2016

“Not exactly. Having a child in the U.S. is no protection from deportation for an undocumented immigrant. In 2013, Immigration and Customs Enforcement deported over 72,000 undocumented parents of U.S.-born children. Contrary to what Ms. Trump believes, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for food stamps, “Obamacare,” or other social service programs. Undocumented workers, in fact, […]

TruthOut: Tax Time: How Corporations Are Cheating Schoolchildren

April 5, 2016

“Yet it’s the children and the taxpayers of Illinois who bear the burden of reform. Illinois has one of the “Ten Most Regressive State Tax Systems,” according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. In Chicago, Mayor Emanuel recently announced another $200 million in education cuts and then raised property taxes by a half-billion […]

CNBC: Pothole season brings little new funding to fix them

April 5, 2016

  Other states, including Indiana, South Carolina and West Virginia, have considered similar moves. But so far, those measures haven’t gotten very far, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a tax research group. “Legislators in all three states embraced partial solutions or punted entirely, preferring short-term fixes at the expense of other […]

Christian Daily: Immigration reform 2016 news update: Majority of Americans want undocumented immigrants to stay in the US

April 4, 2016

“The immigrants without legal permission to stay in the country, which are roughly about 11 million, are significantly helping the U.S. economy. A study by The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy proves that “undocumented immigrants contribute significantly to state and local taxes, collectively paying an estimated $11.64 billion a year.” With reference to the […]

Washington Post: The ‘tampon tax’ fight has reached D.C.

April 4, 2016

“The statement from Bonds noted that the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy recently found that the poorest families pay state and local taxes at twice the effective rate of the richest families. It’s time to “stop taxing your period,” she said.” Read more

Union News Daily: Union County supports executive action

April 4, 2016

“Although the programs are unavailable right now, people need to start preparing documents and saving money to apply. According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States paid 11.64 billion dollars in state and local taxes. A study found that tax contributions would increase significantly under […]

Inforum: Column: When it comes to taxes, it is good to be retired

April 4, 2016

“Twenty-nine states (including the District of Columbia) that have a broad-based income tax exempt all Social Security from tax, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP). Seven states tax some Social Security benefits but provide an exemption that is more generous than what is available at the federal level. Six states tax […]

The Advocate: From business owners to Girl Scouts, Louisiana about to feel pinch from higher taxes starting Friday

April 4, 2016

“For a worker who earns between $19,000 and $37,000 a year, he or she will pay an average of $210 more in sales tax dollars for a 1 percent sales tax increase, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. For someone who earns between $103,000 and $209,000 a year, the average tax change […]

Newsmax: When it Comes to Taxes, it Is Good to Be Retired Read more: When it Comes to Taxes, it Is Good to be Retired Important: Can you afford to Retire?

April 4, 2016

“Twenty-nine states (including the District of Columbia) that have a broad-based income tax exempt all Social Security from tax, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP). Seven states tax some Social Security benefits but provide an exemption that is more generous than what is available at the federal level. Six states tax […]

Voice of America: How Much Do Illegal Immigrants Pay in Taxes?

April 4, 2016

“According to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy, a non-partisan research group, about $11.64 billion a year in state and local taxes. Matt Gardner is the executive director of the Institute. He says it is difficult to know the exact costs of illegal immigration. He says many estimates are guesses. But he says he […]

Fairfield Daily Republic: Taxpayer group asks county board to stand up against ‘unauthorized immigration’

March 30, 2016

“The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy in Washington, D.C., recently released its 50-state study on undocumented immigrants, which shows the group, estimated at 11 million residing in the states, paid $11.6 billion in state and local taxes. A media representative said its analysis does not include costs associated to the group.” Read more

The Oklahoman: Oklahoma budget work is ongoing, lawmaker says

March 30, 2016

“Meantime, if the Legislature doesn’t find a source for new revenue, voters may get a chance to do so themselves.   A measure to increase the state sales tax rate by one penny to better fund education is likely to be on the November ballot. The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy estimates those making […]

Voice of America: Illegal US Immigrants Pay Billions in Taxes, But Is It Enough?

March 28, 2016

  The Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy – which bills itself as a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that works on tax policy issues — estimates undocumented immigrants pay about  $11.64 billion a year in state and local taxes. However, the truth is that no one knows exactly how much undocumented immigrants cost the nation […]

Realtor.com: Which Presidential Candidate Will Save You the Most on Housing?

March 25, 2016

“Those hikes would mean Americans earning about $85,000 a year would wind up paying an additional $3,164 to Uncle Sam, according to estimates from the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. Workers would also fork over an additional 0.2% of their compensation in a payroll tax (employers would kick in another 0.2%) to pay for […]