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.
  • @AA5B
    link
    330 days 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