The analysis of tax data is a time intensive and complicated process. Much time and effort are spent collecting income and tax data, compiling data sets and running statistical analyses. However, it appears that relatively little time and effort are spent actually understanding the data and how...

The analysis of tax policy and tax legislation can be "highly conjectural" and consequently more art than science. Tables and figures detailing revenue effects and distribution of burdens associated with projected outcomes of proposed tax legislation are often presented in ways that distort or...