Taxes in America What everyone needs to know

Review by Choice Review

Burman (Syracuse Univ.) and Slemrod (Univ. of Michigan), outstanding tax scholars, explain what everyone needs to know about US federal taxes, as promised in the title. Their approach to explaining federal tax complexities is to pose questions about tax policy, structure, and administration, e.g., "Why do economists say that we double tax corporate income?" or "Tax reformers talk about a broad base and low rates. What does that mean?" Burman and Slemrod then provide straightforward, jargon-free answers to these questions. Even when the logic of the answer is convoluted and sophisticated, based on stacks of economic analysis, the authors manage clear, direct answers. They hide the sources in endnotes, accessible to anyone who wants to go further, and they provide a short glossary of the more important tax terminology. The book provides the best start for anyone struggling to make sense of the federal tax system and of the current argument about tax reform and restructuring. It does not provide the answers, nor does it try to, but this work provides the best available context for understanding what is going on and for allowing the reader to reach an informed decision about the arguments. Summing Up: Essential. All collections. J. L. Mikesell Indiana University--Bloomington

Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.

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Review by Booklist Review

Burman and Slemrod explain for the average tax payer as well as those seeking more tax information how the U.S. tax system works, how it affects people and businesses, and how it might be improved. They contend that the timing of this book is good because both candidates for president in 2012 embrace tax reform, albeit with very different visions, and the debate about taxes has become a proxy war in the battle about the size and scope of government. Part 1 provides an overview of personal and business taxes in the U.S., and part 2 explains the costs and benefits of taxation. Part 3 reviews tax policies and tax reform. The authors conclude by explaining sensible tax reform ideas, including those developed by President George W. Bush's blue-ribbon panel and President Obama's Bowles-Simpson Commission. This is an excellent, understandable book on a topic important to a wide range of library patrons.--Whaley, Mary Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.

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Review by Library Journal Review

Burman (public affairs, Syracuse Univ.; coauthor, Using Taxes To Reform Health Insurance: Pitfalls and Promises) and Slemrod (economics, Univ. of Michigan; coauthor, Taxing Ourselves: A Citizen's Guide to the Debate over Taxes) team up to provide an overview of the American tax system. Written in a Q&A format, each chapter's questions (e.g., "How are taxes like ducks?") build on the preceding ones, so that read sequentially they make perfect sense but otherwise lack context. Each of the 12 chapters focuses on an issue, such as the different types of taxes, personal and business taxes, and the enforcement of current policies and potential reforms. Burman and Slemrod focus mainly on federal taxes, but they do mention state and local taxes as well as tax policies in other countries when it makes sense to do so, especially for comparisons. VERDICT Despite its organizational idiosyncrasies, this book should be required reading for everyone who wants to understand how the U.S. tax system works. The authors explain the basics of taxation, how it relates to the economy, and how proposed tax reforms (always popular in an election year) will or won't work.-Elizabeth Nelson, UOP Library, Des Plaines, IL (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

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