Why it matters: Typically, ideas like these are tough to turn into reality, but next year when the Trump tax cuts expire, Congress will likely pass some kind of new tax bill.

  • That creates an opportunity to put new policies in place, says Brendan Duke of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

The intrigue: Where things start to get wild is outside the restaurant industry, as Americans try to figure out ways to classify more of their income as tips. Think bankers’ bonuses or sales commissions — or even pay for a Substack writer or freelance podcaster.

  • The U.S. tax code already has different rules for different kinds of income — capital gains, for example, are taxed at a lower rate than payroll income.
  • When those kinds of divides happen, you create enormous incentives for people to game the system, says Howard Gleckman, a senior fellow at the Tax Policy Center.
  • Those kinds of shenanigans typically happen with higher earners — think of the carried interest tax loophole, for example.

For the record: An official from the Harris campaign said the policy would include “strict requirements to prevent hedge fund managers and lawyers from structuring their compensation in ways to try to take advantage of the policy.”

  • Trump’s campaign hasn’t offered much in the way of detail.
  • ignirtoq
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    463 months ago

    next year when the Trump tax cuts expire

    It’s worth repeating again that the middle class Trump tax cuts expire next year. The Trump tax cuts for the wealthy have no expiration date and are permanent.

    Also, they’re not “Trump” tax cuts but Republican tax cuts, but at this point the distinction doesn’t really mean anything anymore since Trump has completely taken over the party.

    • @[email protected]
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      113 months ago

      I remember when this was signed. My jaw dropped when I read it while I knew it would get swept under the rug and forgotten about. I specifically said to myself, this is a ruthless attempt to set up the democrats to look bad after his first term.

      This shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. We should be taking a very hard look at why it is.

    • @AA5B
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      33 months ago

      I just wish the exemption caps would also expire. While I never did the math, I think people like me paid more because of the stupid cap, regardless of the lower tax rate. It’s not just the wealthy who pay a ton of state and local taxes, but also many of us in high cost of living states. I’ve still been able to itemize, but now I can’t exempt state and local taxes so it doesn’t get me much. And I pay tax on the taxes I pay. Yay, double taxation /s