U.S. Constitution
- Article I, section 8: authorizes Congress to levy taxes/prohibits state taxation that burdens interstate or foreign commerce
- Article I, section 7: tax bills must originate in the House of Representatives
- Article I, section 2: requires direct taxes to be apportioned according to population
- 16th Amendment (ratified 1913): allows income tax without apportionment (i.e. permits progressive income taxation)
Major Acts
- Internal Revenue Code of 1939 was the first fully organized federal tax law. Prior, between 1913 and 1939, there were a series of revenue acts which were periodically re-codified.
- Internal Revenue Code of 1954 – replaced 1939 code
- Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended – renamed the 1954 code as part of the 1986 tax reform
- Codified at 26 U.S.C. Section 1 et seq.
Title 26 of the U.S.C.
Divided into several subchapters:
- Income Taxes
- Estate and Gift Taxes
- Employment Taxes
- Miscellaneous Excise Taxes
- Alcohol Tobacco and Certain Other Excise Taxes
- Other Subchapters dealing with procedure and administration, and specific situations, e.g. federal campaign financing, certain trusts and group benefits
