The Trump Tax Files: 2015 - 2020

The issue of Donald Trump's taxes has been a topic of ongoing controversy and investigation for several years. Trump, who broke with decades of precedent by refusing to release his tax returns during his presidential campaign, has faced scrutiny over his financial dealings and tax strategies both before and during his time in office.

One of the key findings from the limited information that has been made public is that Trump paid very little federal income tax in many years. According to a report by The New York Times, which obtained and analyzed several years of Trump's tax returns, the former president paid no income tax at all in 10 of the 15 years prior to his presidency. In 2016 and 2017, he paid just $750 in federal income tax each year.

Another key finding is that Trump has reported significant losses on his income tax returns, which he has used to offset his income and reduce his tax liability. The New York Times report found that Trump's businesses, including his golf courses and hotels, often reported losing money even as they appeared to be successful. This allowed Trump to claim large losses and use them to offset income from other sources, such as royalties from his reality television show "The Apprentice."

The issue of Trump's taxes has also been tied to ongoing legal disputes. The former president is currently involved in several ongoing audits by the IRS, as well as investigations by state authorities. In addition, the US House of Representatives subpoenaed Trump's tax returns as part of an investigation into his financial dealings, but Trump has fought the subpoena in court.

Another major development in the saga of Donald Trump's taxes was when The New York Times obtained and reported on several years of Trump's income tax returns. They revealed that the former president had paid just $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017. The paper also found that he had reported large losses from his business, including his golf courses, which allowed him to offset income from other sources. The result was Trump paid no federal income taxes in 10 of the 15 years prior to his presidency.

The findings from the New York Times report were met with widespread condemnation from political leaders, including then-presidential candidate Joe Biden. Biden said that Trump's low tax bill was "a glaring example of how the rules are rigged in favor of the wealthy."

The ongoing controversy over Trump's taxes has also led to calls for reform of the tax system. Critics have argued that the ability of the wealthy, like Trump, to use losses from one business to offset income from other sources is a loophole that should be closed.

In conclusion, the issue of Donald Trump's taxes has been a topic of ongoing controversy and investigation for several years. Despite breaking with decades of precedent by refusing to release his tax returns during his presidential campaign, Trump has faced scrutiny over his financial dealings and tax strategies both before and during his time in office. Key findings include Trump paid very little federal income tax in many years, including no income tax at all in 10 of the 15 years prior to his presidency, Trump reported significant losses on his income tax returns, which he used to offset his income and reduce his tax liability, Trump's businesses, including his golf courses and hotels, often reported losing money even as they appeared to be successful and Trump has been involved in several ongoing legal disputes related to his taxes, including an ongoing audit by the IRS and several investigations by state authorities.

There are several key questions that researchers or data scientists could ask when analyzing Donald Trump's tax returns:

What was Trump's overall income and tax liability over the period in question? This would involve analyzing his reported income, deductions, and credits in order to determine his overall tax burden.

How did Trump use losses from his businesses to offset his income and reduce his tax liability? This would involve looking at the financial performance of his various businesses and how he used losses to offset income from other sources.

What deductions and credits did Trump claim? This would involve analyzing the specific deductions and credits he claimed in order to understand his tax strategies and whether he took advantage of any tax breaks or loopholes.

What is the nature of Trump's income streams? This would involve identifying the sources of Trump's income and how it was earned, whether it is through business, investments, or other means.

What are Trump's tax disputes? This would involve looking into any ongoing legal disputes related to Trump's taxes, including audits by the IRS or investigations by state authorities.

How does Trump's tax liability compare to others in similar income bracket? This would involve comparing Trump's tax liability to that of other wealthy individuals or businesses in order to understand how his taxes compare to others in similar financial circumstances.

How does Trump's business structure and network look like? This would involve identifying the structure of Trump's business, subsidiaries, and partners and how they are interconnected.

What are the tax implications of Trump's real estate properties? This would involve analyzing the tax implications of Trump's real estate properties, including deductions for depreciation, mortgage interest, and other expenses.

How does Trump's tax liability compare to the historical average? This would involve comparing Trump's tax liability to the historical average for individuals at similar income levels in order to understand how his taxes compare to others in similar financial circumstances.

What are the tax implications of his foreign income and assets? This would involve analyzing the tax implications of any foreign income or assets that Trump may have, including deductions and credits related to these investments.