November 2018

  • CBO found that the tax burden on intangible assets is lower than that on tangible assets. In CBO’s estimation, the 2017 tax act increases the tax burden on research and development but reduces it on most other intangible assets.

  • In 2015, average household income before accounting for means-tested transfers and federal taxes was $20,000 for the lowest quintile and $292,000 for the highest quintile. After transfers and taxes, those averages were $33,000 and $215,000.

  • In fiscal year 2018, the budget deficit totaled $779 billion—$113 billion more than the shortfall recorded in 2017. Measured as a share of GDP, the deficit increased to 3.8 percent in 2018, up from 3.5 percent in 2017 and 3.2 percent in 2016.