All Tax VOX

As the IRS moves more of its interactions with taxpayers online and to third-party intermediaries, experts predict that in-person communication with the tax agency could become more difficult. 

There is a list, albeit a small one, of goals that President Barack Obama shares with Congress for policy reform on taxes and other issues.

And what these plans may reveal about the candidates' other priorities. 

The essential questions voters should be asking about the presidential candidates' tax plans and how they will affect both individual consumers and the national economy.

Donald Trump's tax plan is set to add trillions to the national debt. Those in the presidential candidate's elite income class would receive an income boost of nearly 20 percent. 

TaxVox chose the worst tax ideas of 2015. It was a process filled with tough decisions, but TaxVox managed to narrow down the list to the top ten. 

Congressional leaders agreed to extend dozens of tax cuts – many permanently, while Republican presidential candidates proposed repealing all of them. As it turns out, bigger tax cuts are easier to achieve with more permanent tax extensions. 

Candidates' tax proposals offer a window into their opinions on tax. While the proposals will likely not pass as is, the candidates' opinions will shape discussion in Congress.

Corporate tax inversions have come under scrutiny as Pfizer plans a merger with Irish Allergen. However, inversions may only be a part of the problem.

Clinton proposed a new plan to address inversions – US firms combining with foreign firms for lower tax rates. The plan is far more aggressive than the actions President Obama has taken.

The rules in place today for the Child Tax Credit offer the best benefits for low-income families compared to alternative plans. Maintaining the current rules may be the best option.

The tax plan proposed by Jeb Bush would add trillions to the national debt due to tax cuts. The wealthiest families would see incomes increase by over 10 percent, while middle income families would see less than a three percent increase. 

The highway bill is far from funded. Instead, the current plan to pay for the bill relies several plans to raise money that have failed in the past.

It's easy to extend temporary tax breaks when not considering the budget deficit. Congress is entering another season of hectic turmoil over a set of "tax extenders" that technically expired last year.

Are ABLE accounts mislabeled? ABLE accounts offer many benefits for individuals diagnosed with disabilities, but they may not go far enough to ensure the availability of Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income.

Americans who don't sign up for health insurance under the Affordable Care Act this year will have to pay much larger penalties on their 2016 tax returns than during the ACA’s first two enrollment periods.

Pfizer's recent merger with Allergan has revived the debate over corporate inversion. One way the US could protect its tax base and slow inversions is by establishing an exit tax on US firms with deferred earnings. 

Hillary Clinton's relentless pursuit of tax breaks for the middle class puts her campaign narrative in stark contrast with that of the GOP of candidates. It is too early to tell which narrative will be more appealing.

The Treasury has been studying the practice of "earning stripping," or borrowing form a foreign parent company to pay a lower tax rate. Nothing has yet been done about it.

Watching the annual impasse over budgeting has becoming increasingly frustrating for many Americans. A new idea, two-year budgeting, may offer a much needed change.