FairTax

The FairTax is a proposed change to the tax laws of the United States that would replace the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and all federal income taxes (including corporate taxes and capital gains taxes), as well as payroll taxes (including Social Security and Medicare taxes), gift taxes, and estate taxes with a national retail sales tax. Its enacting legislation, the Fair Tax Act (HR 25/S 1025), is pending in the United States Congress. The tax would be levied once at the point of purchase on all new goods and services. The proposal also calls for a monthly payment to all households of citizens and legal resident aliens (based on family size) as an advance rebate of tax on purchases up to the poverty level.^[1][2] The sales tax rate, as defined in the legislation, is 23% of net prices which includes the tax (23¢ out of every $1 spent—calculated like income taxes), which is comparable to a 30% traditional sales tax (23¢ on top of every 77¢ spent).^[3] Because the U.S. income tax system has a hidden effect on prices,^[4] it is expected that moving to the FairTax would decrease associated production costs due to the removal of business taxes and compliance costs, which is predicted to offset a portion of the FairTax effect on prices (degree based on monetary policy).^[5][6]

With the rebate taken into consideration, the effective tax rate would be progressive on consumption and could result in a federal tax burden of zero or less.^[2] However, opponents of the tax argue that while progressive on consumption, the tax would be regressive on income,^[7][8] and would accordingly decrease the tax burden on high income earners and increase the tax burden on the middle class.^[3][9] The plan's supporters in turn claim that it would increase purchasing power,^[10] and decrease tax burdens by broadening the tax base and effectively taxing wealth.^[11][2] Many mainstream economists and tax experts like the idea of a consumption tax.^[3] Many argue that a consumption tax, such as the FairTax, would have a positive impact on savings and investment (not taxed), ease of tax compliance, increased economic growth, incentives for international business to locate in the U.S., and increased U.S. international competitiveness (border tax adjustment in global trade).^[5][12][13] Others argue that a consumption tax of this kind could be difficult to collect, having challenges with tax evasion,^[7][3] and that it may not yield enough money for the government, resulting in cutbacks in spending, a larger deficit, or a higher sales tax rate.^[3]

The FairTax has generated a large grassroots tax reform movement in recent years, led by the non-partisan group Americans For Fair Taxation.^[14] Increased support was created after talk radio personality Neal Boortz and Georgia Congressman John Linder published The FairTax Book in 2005 and additional visibility was gained in the 2008 presidential campaign, with candidates Mike Huckabee and Mike Gravel being the most vocal supporters. While the proposed bill has yet to have a major effect on the tax system, the Fair Tax Act has the highest number of cosponsors among tax reform proposals (attracting 76 in the 110th United States Congress), gathering much stronger support than popular flat tax legislation. A number of congressional committees have heard testimony on the FairTax; however, it has not been voted on in either Chamber. The plan is expected to increase cost transparency for funding the federal government and supporters believe it would have positive effects on civil liberties, the environment, and advantages with taxing illegal activity and illegal immigrants.^[5][15] Because the FairTax plan would remove taxes on income, tax deductions would have no meaning or value, which concerns some law makers about losing this method of social incentive. There are also concerns regarding the repeal of the Sixteenth Amendment, transition effects on after-tax savings, impact to the income tax industry, incentives on credit use, and the loss of tax advantages to state and local bonds.