Executive Office of the President

The Presidents Framework for Business Tax Reform Executive Office of the President

America?s system of business taxation is in need of reform. The United States has a relatively narrow corporate tax base compared to other countries?a tax base reduced by loopholes, tax expenditures, and tax planning. This is combined with a statutory corporate tax rate that will soon be the highest among advanced countries. As a result of this combination of a relatively narrow tax base and a high statutory tax rate, the U. S. tax system is uncompetitive and inefficient. The system distorts choices such as where to produce, what to invest in, how to finance a business, and what business form to use. And it does too little to encourage job creation and investment in the United States while allowing firms to benefit from incentives to locate production and shift profits overseas. The system is also too complicated?especially for America?s small businesses. For these reasons, the President is committed to reform that will support the competitiveness of American businesses?large and small?and increase incentives to invest and hire in the United States by lowering rates, cutting tax expenditures, and reducing complexity, while being fiscally responsible. This book presents the President?s Framework for business tax reform. In laying out this Framework, the President recognizes that tax reform will take time, require work on a bipartisan basis, and benefit from additional feedback from stakeholders and experts. To start that process, this book outlines what the President believes should be five key elements of business tax reform.