Going to the polls to vote is not only the privilege of being an American, it is the responsibility. It is also your responsibility to choose a leader who reflects your values and the direction you feel the county should go based on information and not TV commercials.
Below is a snapshot of the candidate’s tax vision and the related financial impact. All numbers are based on the medium impact, stated in billions for the years 2026-2035.
Harris would allow the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) to expire, Trump would not.
The Harris Plan….
Expanding child tax credit. She would like to add a $6,000 tax credit for newborns to families earning less than $13,000 per year. She would also like to return to the COVID child tax credits of $3,600 per child under age six and $3,000 per other children where income limits apply. This will increase the national debt by 1.4B.
Credits for first time home buyers. The credit is sliding scale with the max credit going to buyers who’s parents did not own their home. One of her qualifications is also that the recipient paid their rent on time for the proceeding two years. She also wants to remove tax incentives for investors buying single family homes for rent. Cost $2.5B
Raise the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%. This will cause planners such as myself to move away from utilizing this entity structure and actually lower the corporate income entirely thus rendering the rate meaningless. Economics experts predict this will reduce the gross domestic product by 2% and wages by 1.8%, and lower jobs by 786,000. That is not factored into the projected increased federal income of $900B.
Stopping taxes on tips. Both candidates are pitching this idea but Harris clarifies that this would only apply to Federal Income Tax and not Social Security and Medicare taxes, something politicians like to pretend is different. Bottom line. Tax Free Tips would still be taxed at 15.3% (split between the employer and employee equally). She suggests that this is to keep employers from taking an unfair advantage. Her announcements leave out the tax credit that is offered to the very same employers for reporting a required minimum tip regardless of whether is was received or not. Are we concerned that employers will optimize a tax advantage or are we concerned that taxpayers are not reporting all of their tip income? Her program also includes income limitations though she is not clear who would benefit and who would remain unchanged. Cost $200B.
Expanding earned income credit, households making under 13k. This is a refundable credit, which relates to refunding money that the taxpayer never paid in, to include households where the child did not live with the taxpayer. Details are not being released with enough information to project the cost.
Increase health care subsidies under Affordable Health Care. Health insurance is very expensive and every time the government adds money to the problem, the cost for everyone goes up. Her expansion would increase the national debt by $550B
25% capital gains tax on American’s worth 100 million or more including taxing unrealized gains. Taxing unrealized gains is a slippery slope. Once it starts then Congress just expands it and expands it. Though you may not be worth more than 100 million, this may still be something you need to understand. Taxing an unrealized gain is taxing the increase in VALUE as perceived by the person assessing the tax. This does not mean that you actually received any money for the value you are not paying tax on, nor does it mean that someone would pay you that VALUE if you chose to sell. The US Supreme Court did not help us out much on the Moore case that addressed this topic. Basically, the court held that Congress may define what is income and the constitution allows Congress to tax income. Her plan would create income to the government in the amount of $850B (to start).
33% cap gains on those who earn more than 1 mil. 28% long term gains and 5% Net Investment Tax. This will impact more people than you might think. The income is not the normal income of the taxpayer but the income including the sale. The middle class is impacted more than is being talked about. If a taxpayer buys a house, moves, and rents that house for a few years then sells it even if it is to buy another home, the house is considered investment property of the time lapse. Add the gain from the transaction to the normal income and it will push more people over the 1 mil mark than are normally there, subjecting more people to this increased capital gains tax. Increasing the net investment tax would apply to all capital gains not only ones over the 1 mil income floor. Increased income for the government $850B.
Other key points:
Raise the top income tax bracket to 39% for single taxpayers over $400k and joint filers over $450k (brings the married filing joint penalty back into play). Revenue is not projected and because time and time again it has been proven that raising the top tax bracket does not raise federal revenue.
Limit Like Kind Exchange to $500k in gains. This allows investors to build a project and roll the gains into another project. The concept is designed to encourage development, and it does. The developer can not touch any of the money to qualify and the next project has a very short window to begin. Limiting this would discourage commercial development because they would have to pay the above mentioned 33% capital gains tax. You take one third of the budget away and development just got very expensive.
Increasing Border Security Cost $100B
Establish a National Paid Family Leave and Medical Leave Cost $350B
Increase Long-Term Care Funding and Support Family Caregivers Cost $200B\
Trump Plan….
Making TCJA Permanent Except for SALT limitations. The 2018 changes are expiring next year. Trump would like to make them permanent without the limitation on state and federal income tax deductions on Schedule A. This would allow more people to itemize though it is argued that only the wealthier taxpayers itemize. This would boost the GDP as the limit currently has a negative impact. Cost $5.35B
Exemption Overtime Pay Income Taxes. This has interesting impacts. Taxpayers could work more and thus earn more. If the plan is limited to exempting federal income tax it would cost $2B, if it includes the Social Security and Medicare tax it would cost $3B.
End Taxation of Social Security Benefits. Currently, social security is taxed as ordinary income up to 85% of amounts received depending on total other income. Cost $1.3B
Lower the Corporate Tax Rate for Domestic Manufacturers to 15% This is not designed to generate federal income it is designed to bring jobs back to the US. Cost $200B
Establish a Universal Baseline Tariff, tax on imports. Increase federal income by $2.7B
Allow an Itemized deduction for interest on auto loans. Cost $5.3B
Expand Child Tax Credit to $5,000. Limitations on income, age, etc. have not been announced. Cost $2.4B
Other Key Points…
Reverse current energy/Environment Policies and Expand Production Increase federal income by $700B
End Department of Education and Support School Choice. Increase federal income by $200B
Secure the Border. Cost $350B
Voting is very important, however voting informed is crucial. Let your voice be heard.