FAQs about recent analysis of the Romney tax plan

In a question and answer format, a new paper analyzes some of the recent issues raised by the Tax Policy Center's review of the Republican presidential candidate's tax plan. Mainly, the authors reemphasize their conclusion that the plan cannot meet all of Romney's stated criteria.

Tax Policy Center’s analysis of Governor Romney’s tax plan has elicited much comment and misinterpretation. In a new paper, Sam Brown, Bill Gale, and Adam Looney clarify what the original paper did and did not say by addressing in a Q and A format some of the questions that have been raised.

The authors reemphasize their conclusion that Governor Romney’s tax plan cannot meet all of his stated criteria: lower rates, repeal of the AMT and the estate tax, maintaining preferences for saving and investment, not raising taxes on the middle class, and revenue neutrality.

The authors also find that the basic conclusions are unchanged if two preferences for saving and investment— the tax exclusion for municipal bond interest and the exclusion of inside-buildup on life insurance vehicles—are added to the list of base broadening provisions that might be used to pay for individual income tax rate cuts.

Check out the new paper to see the authors’ responses to questions about their analysis