Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2009
Abstract
President Obama is faced with a national debt at over $11 trillion and needs to fund projects such as National Health Care with an ever-shrinking tax base. As the economy has slowed, so have tax revenues. It would then make sense for the government to reexamine tax carve-outs that only benefit the wealthy. In fact, President Obama is on record saying he wants to eliminate tax loopholes. After almost fifty years, the time is ripe to eliminate one of the few congressionally authorized tax loopholes—the $30 billion Exchange Funds.
This Article addresses the social equity arguments and the tax and economic theories to solve the perceived problem. The Article thoroughly covers, through unique access to materials not available in traditional legal sources, including fund private placement memorandum, the basics of fund details, fund formations, and the tax rules, and suggests solutions to solve the social inequity.
This Article not only proposes how to create legislation to tax the current arrangements but offers a solution utilizing the Code and Regulations to tax these vehicles.
Recommended Citation
David J. Herzig, Am I the Only Person Paying Taxes? The Largest Tax Loophole for the Rich - Exchange Funds, 2009 Mich. St. L. Rev. 503.
Comments
Originally published in 2009 Mich. St. L. Rev. 503.