Writing from NYC we get some woman complaining about how low taxes are in the US. My response there. Yes, the federal income tax rate is 35%. Add the NY State income tax of 8% and the NY City rate of 4% and you’re at 47%. This isn’t a low income tax rate by anyone’s

New Labour promised not to put up income tax to get elected. So instead of in-your-face direct taxes, Chancellor Gordon Brown gave us new, indirect, Stealth Taxes and he abolished tax concessions. His attempts to fund New Labour's Fat Government Policy have savaged the pensions and savings industries and had cost the nation the equivalent of 16.5 p in the pound on the basic rate of income tax by 2...

New Labour promised not to put up income tax to get elected. So instead of in-your-face direct taxes, Chancellor Gordon Brown gave us new, indirect, Stealth Taxes and he abolished tax concessions. His attempts to fund New Labour's Fat Government Policy have savaged the pensions and savings industries and had cost the nation the equivalent of 16.5 p in the pound on the basic rate of income tax...

The results of Part 2 are as follows: What is the 'fairest' kind of tax? Poll taxes (poor people pay a higher rate) - 10% Flat taxes (everybody pays the same rate) - 80% Jealousy surcharges (rich people pay a higher rate) - 10% The votes for 'poll taxes' and 'jealousy surcharges' cancel each other out and the clear winner is 'flat taxes'. "Flat taxes on...

KPMG's new corporate tax rate survey has just been published. It shows that, despite the cut in the UK's headline corporation tax rate to 28 per cent, the UK still has the 8th highest rate in the 27 EU countries....

So, My Noble Lord Stern said that we can beat climate change at a cost of 1-2% of the economy per year. This should be done by imposing green taxes: Pigou taxes as they are technically called. Green taxes already make up 7 per cent of the Government’s tax take. The government’s tax take is somewhere around

The Prime Minister of Finland speaks out: The overall tax rate will have to rise as well over the longer term. In some areas that can be done without much consultation between the countries. For example, property taxes or inheritance taxes can largely be determined at the national level without adverse economic consequences. But such taxes

The Telegraph is reporting that families are facing their highest tax burden since 1991. Not at all surprising, I must say. Much of the increase comes from stealth taxes. The basic rate of income tax has not moved much in the past 17 years: recently, we've had 23%, then 22%, and now 20%. However, council tax has shot through the roof, as have indirect taxes such as the excise duties on fuel. Oh, a...

Forecasts that the 50p rate of tax would hinder recruitment of top executives have not materialised, according to a survey

Anyone arriving at Heathrow airport will see those HSBC adverts comparing the top rate of tax in various countries. The message is that HSBC knows the world, but the advert works because that airport is used by the world's rich to hop between country to country, wondering where is best to live, work and declare taxes. The top rate of tax is a powerful symbol, as it tells what that particular ...