Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC) header
Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC) profile picture

Richard Rubin

@RichardRubinDC

I cover U.S. tax policy for the @WSJ. There is ALWAYS a tax angle. Retweets are not endorsements or tax advice. (On Signal richardrubindc.08)

 Washington, DC
wsj.com/news/author/richard-rubin
Joined December 2010
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Photo by Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC)Photo by Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC)Photo by Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC)Photo by Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC)Photo by Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC)Photo by Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC)Photo by Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC)Photo by Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC)Photo by Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC)Photo by Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC)
Because this is my lot in life, I will note, again, that the US is a low-tax country.
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Dan Diamond (@ddiamond) profile picture
Dan Diamond
@ddiamond6h
Just a reminder that Jacob Bogage is a great reporter who has repeatedly broken revealing stories about the Trump administration.
(((Jacob Bogage))) (@jacobbogage) profile picture(((Jacob Bogage)))@jacobbogage8 Apr 2025
SCOOP: Acting IRS chief plans to quit after the agency agreed to share confidential tax info with immigration officials to aid in deportations. She also clashed w DOGE over plans for IRS's future. **Three IRS leaders have quit since Trump took office.** Link in thread ⤵️
Image from (((Jacob Bogage))) (@jacobbogage)
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WSJ Politics (@WSJPolitics) profile picture
WSJ Politics
@WSJPolitics12h
Meet the four academics who dreamed up California’s billionaire tax on the ballot Tuesday as Prop. 40 on.wsj.com/4eV9qcf
The Four Academics Who Dreamed Up California’s Billionaire Tax

The Four Academics Who Dreamed Up California’s Billionaire Tax

Prop. 40, on the ballot Tuesday, represents the closest the group of “nerdy academics” has come with a wealth tax.

wsj.com
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New: The US debt-to-GDP ratio for FY2026 clocks in at .... 100.03%. If that survives after GDP revisions, it's the first triple-digit year since 1946. wsj.com/economy/federal-debt…
Federal Debt Hits 100% of GDP

Federal Debt Hits 100% of GDP

Surging borrowing lifts the fiscal year-end debt ratio to the highest since 1946.

wsj.com
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Richard laid out options for addressing Social Security’s shortfall, but misses key parts of my proposal. Here’s how my plan could help address the shortfall without cutting benefits or raising taxes: cassidy.senate.gov/wp-conten…
Richard Rubin (@RichardRubinDC) profile pictureRichard Rubin@RichardRubinDCOct 22
From us today: Take a look a five ideas -- non-exhaustive list! just a sampling! -- that could shrink Social Security's long-term funding gap. wsj.com/politics/policy/how-…
Five Ideas to Start Fixing Social Security’s Finances

Five Ideas to Start Fixing Social Security’s Finances

How different ways to boost revenue or cut spending could change the retirement program.

wsj.com
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Laura J. Nelson (@laura_nelson) profile picture
Laura J. Nelson
@laura_nelsonOct 26
The fight over whether to tax California billionaires has pitted healthcare groups against each other, driven a wedge in the organized labor movement, and spurred allegations of extortion and harassment by the tax’s architect. From me and @pkwsj: wsj.com/politics/california-…
How the Proposed California Billionaire Tax Became a ‘Hot Mess’ for Democrats

How the Proposed California Billionaire Tax Became a ‘Hot Mess’ for Democrats

The ballot measure sparked party infighting and has many unions siding with the ultrarich, while voter polls remain close.

wsj.com
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Jessica Huseman (@JessicaHuseman) profile picture
Jessica Huseman@JessicaHusemanOct 25
Y’all, we are days from Election Day. Voting is underway. Deadlines are brutal. And Votebeat would like to give you all of our election sources for $0.
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Since several have asked, raising the SocSec payroll tax rate to 17% from 12.4% would fill the 75-year shortfall and prevent insolvency. It would also be the kind of middle-income tax increase that neither party favors. ssa.gov/OACT/solvency/provis…
Philip (@travolpe) profile picturePhilip@travolpeOct 23
Replying to @RichardRubinDC
Where is the option for raising payroll taxes on everyone? How much would payroll taxes need to be raised?
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Richard Rubin retweeted
Marc Goldwein (@MarcGoldwein) profile picture
Marc Goldwein
@MarcGoldweinOct 22
Cool -- @BudgetHawks has updated the Social Security Reformer. Go ahead and take it for a spin: crfb.org/blogs/use-social-se…
Image from Marc Goldwein (@MarcGoldwein)
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Joe Kristan (@joebwan) profile picture
Joe Kristan@joebwanOct 22
Happy 40th birthday to the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, to all who observe!
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From us today: Take a look a five ideas -- non-exhaustive list! just a sampling! -- that could shrink Social Security's long-term funding gap. wsj.com/politics/policy/how-…
Five Ideas to Start Fixing Social Security’s Finances

Five Ideas to Start Fixing Social Security’s Finances

How different ways to boost revenue or cut spending could change the retirement program.

wsj.com
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Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) profile picture
Josh Dawsey
@jdawsey1Oct 21
Nice story by my colleagues on Trump’s promises of cash and bailouts ahead of the midterms: wsj.com/politics/elections/t…
Trump Promises Cash and Bailouts to Woo Midterm Voters Worried About High Prices

Trump Promises Cash and Bailouts to Woo Midterm Voters Worried About High Prices

The president has laid out plans for an $8 billion bailout for farmers as voters raise concerns about costs.

wsj.com
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Kara Voght (@karavoght) profile picture
Kara Voght
@karavoghtOct 17
So…@PhilipWegmann and I happened to be mid-interview with Katie Zacharia when she was called out of her office midday on Friday. She never returned—to the interview, or the job.  The Five Days of Katie, with @marianne_levine: wsj.com/politics/policy/kati…
The Moment Katie Zacharia Found Out Her Five-Day Stint as Press Secretary Was Over

The Moment Katie Zacharia Found Out Her Five-Day Stint as Press Secretary Was Over

wsj.com
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The Social Security payroll tax cap for 2027 will be.... $192,300. That's up 4.2% from this year. wsj.com/personal-finance/ret…
Inflation Jump Will Push Social Security Benefits Up 3.6%

Inflation Jump Will Push Social Security Benefits Up 3.6%

wsj.com
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By 2028 or 2029, for a single worker, the additional 0.9% Medicare payroll tax ($200k unindexed threshold) will kick in at a level under the Social Security tax cap.
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POLITICO (@politico) profile picture
POLITICO
@politicoOct 14
The Trump administration is delaying the release of detailed data showing how Republicans’ 2025 tax cuts affected millions of Americans’ taxes, even as it tries to sell voters on the law ahead of the midterms. politico.com/news/2026/10/14…
Administration delays release of IRS data showing impact of GOP tax cuts

Administration delays release of IRS data showing impact of GOP tax cuts

politico.com
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I'll be, uh, passing through Durham next week. Come to Duke and learn about rich business owners: econ.duke.edu/events/everywh…
The Everywhere Millionaire: Who is really rich in America and how they got there

The Everywhere Millionaire: Who is really rich in America and how they got there

Richard Rubin of the Wall Street Journal will interview Eric Zwick, professor at the Chicago Booth school, about his new book, "The Everywhere Millionaire." A reception and book signing will follow...

econ.duke.edu
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Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) profile picture
Sahil Kapur
@sahilkapurOct 9
Social Security comes up in MAINE Senate debate: As we reported, Troy Jackson calls for lifting payroll tax cap on higher incomes to raise more revenue. Susan Collins, who previously called for a commission, revises her position tonight, saying she'd like to "adjust the cap" too.
Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) profile pictureSahil Kapur
@sahilkapurOct 8
NEW: Social Security is a sleeper 2026 campaign issue. Senate candidates including Talarico (D-Texas), Turek (D-Iowa), El-Sayed (D-Mich.), Osborn (I-Neb.) are calling to lift the payroll tax cap on higher incomes to avoid an automatic 22% benefit cut. The shortfall hits in 2032, or six years. A huge issue that this year's class of senators will have to deal with. nbcnews.com/politics/2026-el…
Senate candidates run on raising Social Security taxes for higher incomes to prevent benefit cuts

Senate candidates run on raising Social Security taxes for higher incomes to prevent benefit cuts

Social Security is projected to dip into insolvency and force a 22% benefit cut in 2032, or less than six years, meaning the class of senators elected this year will have to address the issue.

nbcnews.com
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The federal budget deficit increased by $218 billion last year. More than half of that ($115 billion) was higher interest costs. wsj.com/politics/policy/u-s-…
U.S. Budget Deficit Jumps to Nearly $2 Trillion

U.S. Budget Deficit Jumps to Nearly $2 Trillion

U.S. finances are stuck in a rut that alarms policymakers, but hasn’t moved them to change course.

wsj.com
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Roughly $1 in every $5 of revenue went to pay interest on the accumulated debt. And that's not fully reflecting the recent run-up in Treasury yields, because those take time to filter into federal borrowing.
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WSJ Politics (@WSJPolitics) profile picture
WSJ Politics
@WSJPoliticsOct 8
The U.S. budget deficit climbed to nearly $2 trillion in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, deepening the federal government’s persistent red-ink trend on.wsj.com/4i6Q1XX
U.S. Budget Deficit Jumps to Nearly $2 Trillion

U.S. Budget Deficit Jumps to Nearly $2 Trillion

U.S. finances are stuck in a rut that alarms policymakers, but hasn’t moved them to change course.

wsj.com
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