consumption tax alternatives: retail sales tax, flat tax and personal consumption tax. Justifications for tax reform range from the need to simplify the current system to raising revenues to modifying social policy. In the face of growing demands by politicians and taxpayers alike, the topic of tax reform has produced alternate federal income tax proposals. This essay compares income tax to consumption tax, and also reviews the retail sales tax, flat tax and personal consumption tax systems. The comparisons include discussion of differences between proposals, relative degree of effectiveness, as well as ease of implementation. Each of the major categories proposed accomplish tax reform with varying degrees of success, which must be considered along with their associated trade-offs. This essay examines some specifics of those approaches.

Reasons for Tax Reform

Growing support for tax reform comes from both politicians and taxpayers alike. Surveys conducted during the 2009 tax filing season...
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