Tax Policy Concept Statements
Tax Policy Concept Statements
The AICPA promotes good tax policy through the issuance of concept statements:
- Tax Policy Concept Statement No. 1—Guiding Principles of Good Tax Policy: A Framework for Evaluation of Tax Proposals (Updated January 2017)
Provides a framework to help answer the question: How should proposals to change existing tax rules be analyzed? This question is answered by providing and discussing ten principles that are commonly cited and used as indicators of "good tax policy."
- Tax Policy Concept Statement No. 2—Guiding Principles for Tax Simplification
Promotes the reduction of complexity in federal and state tax laws, and discourages incremental complexity in the future. The statement sets forth guiding principles for the development of simpler tax legislation and regulations.
- Tax Policy Concept Statement No. 3—Guiding Principles for Tax Law Transparency
Addresses the "good tax policy" principle of transparency—the basic notion that taxpayers should know (1) that a tax exists, and (2) how and when the tax is imposed on them and others. The statement recommends guiding principles for the development of more transparency in the tax law.
- Tax Policy Concept Statement 4 —Guiding Principles for Tax Equity and Fairness
Addresses the "good tax policy" principle of equity and fairness. The statement identifies and defines seven “dimensions” for consideration when assessing tax equity and fairness.
