Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)

Federal Policy

ITEP’s federal policy resources provide quantitative and qualitative research and analysis on current tax policies, proposals and reform options. Its distributional analyses highlight how tax proposals will affect Americans in different income groups nationally and in all 50 states.

Featured Research

State-by-State Estimates of the First Year of Trump’s Tax Policies: All But the Richest Americans Face Higher Taxes

As a result of the tax policies approved by President Trump and the Republican majority in Congress, all but the richest Americans are paying higher taxes on average in 2026 than they did last year.

Four Big Tech Companies Avoid $51 Billion in Taxes in Wake of One Big Beautiful Bill Act

Four of the corporations whose CEOs flanked President Trump at his 2025 inauguration ceremony have now disclosed that they collectively…

The Child Tax Credit Leaves Out Millions of Children in 2026. There Are Better Alternatives.

The 2025 Trump tax law slightly increased the Child Tax Credit in a way that benefits virtually none of the…

Tesla Reported Zero Federal Income Tax on $5.7 Billion of U.S. Income in 2025

Tesla enjoyed almost $5.7 billion of U.S. income in 2025 but paid $0 in federal income tax. Over the past…

Filter Federal Research

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After Trump Tax Cuts, Major Corporations Pay Less than Ever

• By Amy Hanauer

Who bears the cost of these giant companies paying such a pittance? The American people.

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114 Profitable Corporations Paid Zero Federal Income Tax in 2025

• By ITEP Staff

There were 114 corporations that paid no federal income tax in 2025. That includes well-known companies like Tesla, Walt Disney, CVS, Citigroup, United Airlines, Palantir, and DoorDash.

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Bigger Corporations, Bigger Tax Breaks: Consolidation Leads Six Corporations to Grab a Giant Share of Subsidies

• By Matthew Gardner

Alphabet, Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia, Meta and J.P. Morgan Chase collectively raked in 42 percent of the total tax subsidies that 706 profitable U.S. corporations received in 2025.

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ITEP Comment on Citizenship Question Update to IRS Form 1040

• By Jessica Vela, Steve Wamhoff

Here is a public comment submitted to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on October 26, 2026 on a proposal to add a citizenship question to the main federal personal income tax form, Form 1040.

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The Consequences of 18 Months of Trump-Republican Tax Policy and Rising Prices

• By Michael Ettlinger

The first 18 months of President Trump’s second term have brought major changes in U.S. tax policy and taken several actions that have boosted inflation. These changes have had significant impacts on the lives of the American people. As a result, middle-income Americans are losing an average of $1,670 in 2026 overall.

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After Two Rounds of Trump Tax Cuts, Corporate America Paid Less Than Ever in 2025

• By Matthew Gardner, Steve Wamhoff, Joe Hughes, Spandan Marasini

In 2025, 706 major American corporations collectively paid a federal income tax rate of just 10.4% on $1.88 trillion in U.S. profits. This is the lowest effective rate that ITEP has uncovered in over 40 years of analyzing corporate income taxes.

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Impact of Key Trump Policies on Taxes and Costs: National and State Estimates

• By Steve Wamhoff

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%.

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ITEP Comment on Tax Credit Restrictions for Immigrants

• By Carl Davis, Emma Sifre

This proposal would bar a variety of immigrant tax filers from receiving the refunded portion of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC), American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), and Adoption Tax Credit.

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New State Taxes on the Wealthy Raise Revenue and Rebalance Tax Codes, Advancing Racial Justice

• By Brakeyshia Samms

Taxing the rich is proven fiscal policy – it raises revenue for vital public services and makes tax codes fairer. But a part of the debate that rarely gets enough attention: taxing the rich is also one of the most effective tools available for advancing racial equity.

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Trump’s Invasion of Iran Could Cost You Thousands

• By Amy Hanauer

Higher fuel and food prices are on track to cost the average household over $1,300 by the end of the year.

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Meta’s Outlandish Tax Breaks for AI Data Centers

• By Steve Wamhoff

Meta is claiming the research tax credit – a tax break meant to encourage innovation and experimentation – to pay for the equipment it uses in data centers to power its AI activities. ITEP described how Meta paid just 3.5% of its profits in federal corporate income taxes in 2025.

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New Estimates of the Total Number of People and Children in Immigrant Families who Could Lose Eligibility for the Refundable Portions of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit

• By Emma Sifre

Treasury and the IRS proposed a new rule that would further restrict eligibility for the refundable portions of four tax credits. The rule would affect primarily lawfully present immigrants authorized to work in the U.S. and their family members, including their children, the vast majority of whom are citizens.

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Big Tech Is Raking in Enormous Tax Breaks for AI Development

• By Matthew Gardner

OBBBA’s expensing provision is becoming especially lucrative for the companies building out AI infrastructure right now. There is no evidence whatsoever that tax breaks are necessary to encourage their construction.

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New Census Data Show Importance of Refundable Tax Credits and Need for Improvements

• By Joe Hughes

The Child Tax Credit actually moved fewer children out of poverty in 2025 than it did in 2024 prior to Congress passing the so-called "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" (OBBBA).

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TurboTax Maker Intuit Paid Zero Federal Income Tax in 2025

• By Joe Hughes

TurboTax maker Intuit reported nearly $6 billion in U.S. profits in 2025 and paid no federal income tax. Instead, the company received a refund, thanks in part to new tax breaks from OBBBA.