Unjerked E36 Taxes Part 2

William Henderson and B. McGraw talk about taxes in the United States. Why do we have them? What are the different types of taxes? What are the best tax policies? This is part 2 of 2 episodes.

We discuss the tax rate of different income quintiles, both before and after transfer payments. We then discuss the net fiscal contribution each US state makes to the federal government. Next, we go over the tax rates at which government revenue is maximized, as well as the tax rates which maximize GDP growth. Next, we go over ways in which wealthier people evade taxes. We discuss the conceptual framework of corporate vs individual income vs capital gains tax. Wealthier people often avoid capital gains tax by borrowing money using stock as collateral.

We discuss several reform ideas, to include transitioning from a sales tax to a VAT tax, transitioning from property tax to land tax, closing loopholes, and finding better ways to tax capital gains (to include removing step up cost basis).

0:56 Tax rates before and after transfers

3:00 State net contribution

8:55 Revenue maximizing tax rate

10:33 Revenue maximizes capital gains tax rate

11:25 GDP growth maximization (Pg 12-14) (2)

14:48 Why wealthy can pay lower taxes (1) (2) (3)

18:05 Corporate tax avoidance

19:12 Capital gains tax

20:30 Real estate

22:13 Reform ideas (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)

23:54 VAT tax

26:33 land tax (1) (2) (3)

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