626. Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System

Like tens of millions of people, Stephen Dubner thought he had a penicillin allergy. Like the vast majority, he didn’t. This misdiagnosis costs billions of dollars and causes serious health problems, so why hasn’t it been fixed? We find out in this update of a 2025 episode. SOURC ... Show More

Is the oxymoron really “the secret sauce to everything”? That’s the case Ingels makes in this debut episode of our new video show Better in Person, filmed in Stephen Dubner’s living room. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, watch it on YouTube or Apple Pod ... Show More

Stephen Dubner had an idea for a new project. So he drove to Connecticut and knocked on the door of the master. Dubner’s new TV talk show Better in Person launches July 14 on the Freakonomics YouTube channel. SOURCES: Dick Cavett, writer, former talk show host. RESOURCES: Eye on ... Show More

<p>It happens every year as tax season comes around in the US. Numerous media outlets publish excoriating investigations of wealthy corporations and individuals that, somehow, don't seem to be paying taxes. And the majority of American citizens believe the system is, in one way o ... Show More

<p>Every year tax activists of one sort or another try to avoid paying federal or state levies -- but why? The answers get... pretty weird. Join Ben and Matt as they dive into the strange world of tax conspiracies in this week's Classic episode.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ... Show More

America has a bad spending habit. Nearly $29 trillion dollars in debt, and both political parties showing no sign of stopping their more and more expensive spending plans, what happens when that bill comes due? Writer, commentator and Distinguished Visiting Fellow at FreedomWorks ... Show More

It’s April and that means two things: spring and tax time! The US tax system is really, really complicated. Every time you do your taxes, you’re answering to multiple jurisdictions –– and all their laws about what you owe for what, and why. We’re taking a look at how our tax syst ... Show More

From cats running on treadmills to monkey's gambling, these are just some of the shocking ways the government is wasting YOUR money. Dr. Phil takes a hard-hitting look at the outrageous and often ludicrous spending of your tax dollars by our government. With national debt exceedi ... Show More

Join Tom Wheelwright and his guest, Judge Glock, as they explore how the government uses a "Tax and Return" scheme and how the government benefits you receive are null after all the taxes you pay. Judge is a director of research and a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and ... Show More

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Cay Johnston has analyzed Donald Trumps tax returns from 2015 to 2020 for his new book The Big Cheat: How Donald Trump Fleeced America and Enriched Himself and His Family. Johnston says Trump has broken easy-to-prosecute laws. Plus, the tan ... Show More

Government deficits have gotten a bad rap, says economist Stephanie Kelton. In this groundbreaking talk, she makes the case to stop looking at government spending as a path towards frightening piles of debt, but rather as a financial contribution to the things that matter -- like ... Show More