NCPA Publications: Taxes

Economic Freedom, Democracy and the Quality of Life

Capitalism and democracy are both known to improve the quality of life. But which is more effective in promoting social welfare? Three typical measures of social welfare are health, education and dise…
Financial Crisis: Lessons Learned

There are many critical lessons to be learned from the financial crisis that began in the fall of 2008 and how it has since been handled. The federal government responded aggressively - at a huge cost…
Financial Crisis: The Fall of the House of Cards
Each financial crisis is different, yet they all feature financial institutions making promises they cannot keep. The conventional explanation for the 2008 financial crisis and recession is that it wa…
The Politics of Estate Tax Reform

If it seems as if Congress has been wrangling over the estate tax for decades, that is because it has. Though majorities in both houses of Congress have supported repeal and the law has been changed f…
Is Uncle Sam Bankrupt?

When it comes to nondisclosure, the United States government is the father of all financial malfeasants. Indeed, Uncle Sam has been misrepresenting the nation's finances for decades. In the process, h…
The High Marginal Cost of the Estate Tax

The estate tax is not yet dead, by a long shot. Federal taxes on estates fell as a result of the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (EGTRRA). In fact, the estate tax will even d…
New Federal Regulations Threaten Small Business Access to Credit

Congress is considering establishing a new agency to regulate consumer financial products and services - everything from home equity loans to credit cards to pawnshops.
Estate Tax Myths

Congress is facing a tax deadline. Under legislation passed in 2001, the federal estate tax is being phased out: The tax rate is falling and the value of the property of the deceased that is exempted…