Corporate Tax Expenditures: Evaluations of Tax Deferrals and Graduated Tax Rates.

摘要

Congress and the administration are reexamining tax expenditures used by corporations as part of corporate tax reform. These tax expenditures-- special exemptions and exclusions, credits, deductions, deferrals, and preferential tax rates--support federal policy goals, but result in revenue forgone by the federal government. GAO was asked to examine issues related to certain tax expenditures. This report uses GAO's tax expenditures evaluation guide to determine what is known about: (1) the deferral of income for controlled foreign corporations; (2) deferred taxes for certain financial firms on income earned overseas; and (3) the graduated corporate income tax rate. GAO combined the two deferral provisions for evaluation purposes. GAO's guide suggests using five questions to evaluate a tax expenditure: (1) what is its purpose and is the purpose being achieved; (2) does it meet the criteria for good tax policy; (3) how is it related to other federal programs; (4) what are its consequences for the federal budget; and (5) how is its evaluation being managed. To address these questions, GAO reviewed the legislative history and relevant academic and government studies, analyzed 2010 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data, and interviewed agency officials and tax experts.