Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy (ITEP)

Steve Wamhoff

Federal Policy Director

Steve Wamhoff
Areas of Expertise
Federal Tax and Budget Policy Corporate Tax

Steve is ITEP’s federal policy director. In this role, he is responsible for setting the organization’s federal research and policy agenda. He is the author of numerous reports and analyses of federal tax policies as well as in-depth policy briefs that outline how the federal income tax and corporate tax code can be overhauled to improve tax fairness.

Just before taking on the role of ITEP’s director of federal tax policy, Steve spent more than two years as the senior tax policy analyst for Sen. Bernie Sanders and as a member of the senator’s Budget Committee staff. In this capacity, he wrote legislation related to personal income and corporate income taxes, financial transaction taxes, estate taxes and tax avoidance.

Before joining Sen. Sanders’ staff, Steve had previously worked for ITEP and its c(4) partner Citizens for Tax Justice for more than eight years. During this time, he built expertise in analyzing tax policies and their effect on federal revenue as well as on people across the income spectrum. Notably, he wrote reports on proposals to extend the George W. Bush tax cuts, as well as proposals to eliminate tax breaks for investors and corporations as a way of financing health care reform and other initiatives.

Earlier in his career, Steve worked for the Social Security Administration’s Office of Policy and the Coalition on Human Needs. He received a Juris Doctor and Master’s in Public Policy from Georgetown University and a bachelor’s from New York University.

 steve at itep.org

Recent Publications

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ITEP Comment on Citizenship Question Update to IRS Form 1040

October 27, 2026 • 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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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.

More Publications by Steve Wamhoff

Recent Media Mentions

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New York Times: Opinion | Trump Can No Longer Mask His Real Agenda

October 20, 2026 • By Steve Wamhoff

Those claims, however, mask his real agenda: to protect and enhance the wealth and income of the superrich — most importantly himself — while leaving driblets behind for the struggling working class.

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USA Today: Trump's Policies Raised Costs for All But the Top 1%, Report Says

October 19, 2026 • By Steve Wamhoff

The Trump administration’s economic policies have driven up taxes and costs for all but the wealthiest 1% of Americans, according to a new analysis from an economic think tank. 

More Media Mentions of Steve Wamhoff