About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline

10 Tax Memo 1 (1956)

handle is hein.journals/taxmmo10 and id is 1 raw text is: 






TAX


No. 10


MEMO


March,   1956


CANADA - U.S. PERSONAL INCOME TAX


   Comparisons of our tax structure with
the American are always interesting in view
of the many differences in the treatment of
identical situations. Particularly is this true
of the personal income tax, under which
there are some marked contrasts in impor-
tant respects. The nature of many of these
variations is unfortunately not fully under-
stood, and in the present study we attempt
to clarify some of the principal points of
confusion in the area of exemptions, deduc-
tions and rates.

   Particular attention has been devoted
to the deductions that an American tax-
payer may  claim. While  some of these
items are similar to those available to a
Canadian taxpayer, there are a number of
interesting divergencies. The optional
standard deduction, which is peculiar to
the United States income tax  structure,
frequently gives rise to confusion when the
scope of allowable deductions is being com-
pared. For this reason its role is described
in some detail.


   Of special interest to many Canadians is
the so-called income-splitting device, the
use of which affords tax relief to many
married taxpayers in the United States who
elect to file a joint return. The tax savings
from this device are substantial under some
conditions, although the general claims
made  for it have been somewhat exagger-
ated. The study demonstrates the actual
tax savings that result at various income
levels.

   In preparing this study a comprehensive
comparison  of the burden  of personal
income taxes in the two countries was not
contemplated. Such a  comparison would
involve taking into account the personal
income taxes levied by more than thirty
states as well as by a number of cities in the
United States. Furthermore the taxation
of capital gains in the United States would
have a bearing on the overall burden; and
although the mechanics of capital gains
taxation are described, this aspect is only
touched on for the purpose of examining the
deductibility of capital losses from income.


Additional copies of this Memo may be obtained on request.


TAX  FOUNDATION


wftft


CANADIAN

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

profiles profiles most