Budget Matters Blog


Will Unemployment Be Extended into 2014?

Emergency unemployment benefits expired at the end of December and cut off jobless aid to 1.3 million out-of-work Americans. Whether benefits will be extended is now the top debate in Washington.


Should We Reform the Home Mortgage Interest Deduction? Three Different Views from Our Readers

After we published a blog piece on the Home Mortgage Interest Deduction (HMID) this summer, several people wrote in to tell us how this tax break affected their lives.


Poll: Americans Want Wealthiest to Pay More in Taxes

A new poll just released by Americans for Tax Fairness found that 65 percent of voters across the country want the top 2 percent to pay more in taxes


FAQ: Corporate Tax Breaks and Tax Reform

Imagine that tax day rolls around and – instead of paying any taxes at all – Uncle Sam sends you a check for millions or even billions of dollars.


The Tax Break for Hedge Fund Managers

The "carried interest rule" allows certain people, such as hedge fund managers, who earn money by investing other people’s money to pay a lower tax rate than many people who earn a living from wages.


Operation Secret Loopholes

As Congress tackles the 2014 budget, tax reform is happening in secret.


Big Tax Breaks Equal Big Cash for the Top 1%

The tax code is so full of tax breaks that this year will cost the federal government more than $1 trillion – as much as all discretionary spending in the federal budget. Tax breaks are all different kinds of credits, deductions, and exclusions that allow people to reduce the amount they ...


The Big Money in Tax Breaks: Top 3 Tax Breaks in 2013

If the U.S. Treasury estimated that something cost the government $1.13 trillion (that's $1,130,000,000,000) in 2013 alone, would you want to know about it?


Top Five Facts About a $1.2 Trillion Secret Project

The top 5 fun facts about the $1.2 trillion project that's happening behind closed doors.


Secret Tax Reform

The public won't know which lawmakers requested which reforms for 50 years.