The fourth edition of a popular guide to the key issues in tax reform, discussing the current system and alternative proposals clearly and without a political agenda. As Albert Einstein may or may not have said, "The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax." Indeed, to follow the debate over tax reform, the interested citizen is forced to choose between misleading sound bites and academic treatises. Taxing Ourselves bridges the gap between the two by discussing the key issues clearly and without a political agenda: Should the federal income tax be replaced with a flat tax or sales tax? Should it be left in place and reformed? Can tax cuts stimulate the economy, or will higher deficits undermine any economic benefit? Authors and tax policy experts Joel Slemrod and Jon Bakija lay out in accessible language what is known and not known about how taxes affect the economy, offer guidelines for evaluating tax systems, and provide enough information to assess both the current income tax system and the leading proposals to reform or replace it (including the flat tax and the consumption tax). The fourth edition of this popular guide has been extensively revised to incorporate the latest information, covering such recent developments as the Bush administration's tax cuts (which expire in 2011) and the alternatives proposed by the President's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform. Slemrod and Bakija provide us with the knowledge and the tools—including an invaluable voter's guide to the tax policy debate—to make our own informed choices about how we should tax ourselves.

The new edition of a popular guide to the key issues in tax reform, presented in a clear, nontechnical, and unbiased way. To follow the debate over tax reform, the interested citizen is often forced to choose between misleading sound bites and academic treatises. Taxing Ourselves bridges the gap between the oversimplified and the arcane, presenting the key issues clearly and without a political agenda. Tax policy experts Joel Slemrod and Jon Bakija lay out in accessible language what is known and not known about how taxes affect the economy and offer guidelines for evaluating tax systems—both the current tax system and proposals to reform it. This fifth edition has been extensively revised to incorporate the latest data, empirical evidence, and tax law. It offers new material on recent tax reform proposals, expanded coverage of international tax issues, and the latest enforcement initiatives. Offering historical perspectives, outlining the basic criteria by which tax policy should be judged (fairness, economic impact, enforceability), examining proposals for both radical change (replacement of the income tax with a flat tax or consumption tax) and incremental changes to the current system, and concluding with a voter's guide, the book provides readers with enough background to make informed judgments about how we should tax ourselves. Praise for earlier editions “An excellent book.” —Jeff Medrick, New York Times “A fair-minded exposition of a politically loaded subject.” —Kirkus Reviews

The new edition of a popular guide to the key issues in tax reform, presented in a clear, nontechnical, and unbiased way. To follow the debate over tax reform, the interested citizen is often forced to choose between misleading sound bites and academic treatises. Taxing Ourselves bridges the gap between the oversimplified and the arcane, presenting the key issues clearly and without a political agenda. Tax policy experts Joel Slemrod and Jon Bakija lay out in accessible language what is known and not known about how taxes affect the economy and offer guidelines for evaluating tax systems—both the current tax system and proposals to reform it. This fifth edition has been extensively revised to incorporate the latest data, empirical evidence, and tax law. It offers new material on recent tax reform proposals, expanded coverage of international tax issues, and the latest enforcement initiatives. Offering historical perspectives, outlining the basic criteria by which tax policy should be judged (fairness, economic impact, enforceability), examining proposals for both radical change (replacement of the income tax with a flat tax or consumption tax) and incremental changes to the current system, and concluding with a voter's guide, the book provides readers with enough background to make informed judgments about how we should tax ourselves. Praise for earlier editions “An excellent book.” —Jeff Medrick, New York Times “A fair-minded exposition of a politically loaded subject.” —Kirkus Reviews

Discover how to increase your deductions, reduce what you owe, boost your profits, and build a dynasty As if doing your business taxes weren’t complicated enough, you now have the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act to contend with. While this major overhaul throws a monkey wrench into the works, it provides unprecedented opportunities to keep even more of what you earn—if you’re up to speed on what the new law means and how to navigate it. Small Business Taxes Made Easy has been fully updated to provide the knowledge, insights, and tools your business need to get ahead of the curve this tax season. You’ll learn everything you need to know for: Saving money on taxes and boosting your profits Building an increasingly profitable business, with the right advisory team Navigating the complex tax maze without losing the bank Setting up a business plan following the new tax guidelines to minimize tax payout Using record-keeping techniques that increase deductible expenses Learn to reduce audit risk – or to survive audits successfully Spotting errors in 1099s and handling them properly Providing a thorough look into the Taxpayers First Act, this thorough guide delivers important insights into the marijuana tax dichotomy, updated information about self-rentals, and a deep dive into the Wayfair decision—which affects the collection of sales tax. Whatever kind of business you run, Small Business Taxes Made Easy will help you stay in compliance while taking full advantage of all possible deductions, loopholes, profit opportunities, and more.

You earned it, now keep it! Maximize your profits by getting the most out of every tax deduction. No matter what kind of small business you have, you owe it to yourself to take advantage of every legitimate business deduction and personal tax planning advantage at tax time. In the newly updated fourth edition of Make Sure It’s Deductible, Evelyn Jacks, Canada’s bestselling and most trusted tax author and educator, delivers vital tax facts that will save you money—presented in a clear, friendly style that’s easy to read, understand and apply to your own business. Join the more than 35,000 entrepreneurs who’ve turned to this tax-saving classic to learn about: What expenditures are fully deductible and which are restricted How to claim expenses under new auto and home office rules Hiring family members and splitting income to keep more of your money Building significant wealth with the capital gains deduction and savvy income re-investment strategies Planning for a secure lifestyle now and in retirement Make Sure It’s Deductible provides vital, practical information you need to increase your bottom line and run a tax-efficient and audit-proof small business. “Evelyn Jacks is well-deserving of her reputation as Canada’s most trusted tax advisor. This book could save thousands of tax dollars for anyone who is self-employed, runs a small business, or is thinking of starting one.”—Gordon Pape, bestselling author and editor and publisher of The Internet Wealth Builder

Pay what your really owe--and not a penny more! "This book is a must-read for anyone who is running a small business. Rosenberg lays out the steps in a simple format to get you organized and running a business smoothly." -- Layla Tusko, President, Crystal Cove Marketing Group "Rosenberg has an uncanny ability to make taxes and tax issues easier to understand, all the while keeping everything fresh and fun. I would recommend her book to anyone managing a business." -- Sonny Byrd, Head of Marketing, Shoeboxed.com "With a focus on real-world must-do's and helpful examples, Rosenberg's checklists work like a business-building scaffold and arm the reader to succeed." -- Leigh Mutert, CPA, H&R Block Is the government taking too much of your money? Do you want to keep more of what you earn? Are you worried about being taxed right out of business? As a taxpayer, you have rights--many of which you probably don’t know about. In Small Business Taxes Made Easy, Second Edition, America's top small-business tax expert Eva Rosenberg describes them all. This all-in-one primer is packed with tips and guidelines not only for paying out less in tax but also for gaining the greatest possible advantage out of each IRS rule and regulation. You'll learn how to: Choose the right accounting style for your needs Navigate the complex tax maze without losing the bank Set up a business plan that helps minimize payout Use record-keeping techniques that increase deductible expenses Spot errors in 1099s—and handle them properly Increase your profits and your cash flow Build a business to pass on to your children--or sell at a huge profit! Small Business Taxes Made Easy, Second Edition, provides easy-to-follow, actionable advice with timeless information that can help any business at any stage of operation. Plus, you get access all the forms and to-do lists you need through the book's companion Website. Eva Rosenberg, known as the Internet's TaxMama, is an enrolled agent with over a quarter century of tax experience. A syndicated Dow Jones columnist, and her daily TaxQuips podcast can be found all over the Web. Rosenberg lives in Northridge, California.