Fair Taxation

Tax fairness is the key to a fair economy, where the cost of maintaining a common government is shared on the basis of one's ability to pay.

UFE works on two main areas of tax fairness: federal and state. At the federal level, our main campaign is to preserve the estate tax. At the state level, we have formed the Tax Fairness Organizing Collaborative to support groups working for fair tax policies.

The federal estate tax is the country's most progressive tax, and its only wealth tax. It helps prevent the concentration of wealth that weakens democracy.

99.7 percent of US residents will never have to pay it, because it is paid only out of the estates of super-wealthy Americans after they die and before their bequests are distributed to their heirs.

UFE has been working to preserve the estate tax since 1999.

Tax Fairness Organizing Collaborative

UFE brings together dozens of state groups organizing and educating for fair taxation in the Tax Fairness Organizing Collaborative (TFOC). TFOC meets regularly via teleconference and face-to-face, to discuss common issues and share solutions.

The Latest

Action Tools for Evaluating Candidates

Tax policy is a key method for addressing economic inequities. But it can be difficult to evaluate a candidate's position on taxes. That's why we created these Action Tools. April 24, 2008.

More Background & Resources on Tax Fairness

The Tax-Cut Con, By Paul Krugman, NY Times

Excerpt: "When the ''guy on the news'' asks whether we can afford a tax cut, he's asking whether, after yet another tax cut goes through, there will be enough money to pay for those things. And the answer is no. But it's very difficult to get that answer across in modern American politics, which has been dominated for 25 years by a crusade against taxes. I don't use the word ''crusade'' lightly. The advocates of tax cuts are relentless, even fanatical." September 14, 2003. Read the full article...