Joe supports ITEP in monitoring federal tax policies. His research focuses on progressive tax priorities to ensure corporations and the ultra wealthy pay their fair share. Prior to joining ITEP in 2021, Joe worked at the Congressional Research Service and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. He completed a master’s in applied economics at George Washington University and undergraduate studies at the University of Tennessee.
Recent Publications
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After Two Rounds of Trump Tax Cuts, Corporate America Paid Less Than Ever in 2025
October 22, 2026 • By Joe Hughes, Matthew Gardner, Spandan Marasini, Steve Wamhoff
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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New Census Data Show Importance of Refundable Tax Credits and Need for Improvements
September 16, 2026 • 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).
Recent Media Mentions
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The American Prospect: The Companies That Got $83 Billion in Tax Breaks Last Year
August 18, 2026 • By Joe Hughes, Matthew Gardner
According to a recent analysis by the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP), companies avoided paying more than $200 billion in federal income tax in 2025.
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Houston Chronicle: Texas Oil Companies Forecast Billions in Tax Breaks from Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill'
September 9, 2025 • By Joe Hughes
The Houston oil-company Occidental Petroleum reported last month it was expecting a large tax break from President Donald Trump's tax and spending cut package known as the One Big Beautiful Bill — to the tune of $700 to $800 million over the next two years.
