Tax Expenditure

Revenue losses suffered by the federal government as a result of provisions of the Internal Revenue Code which grant special tax benefits to certain kinds of taxpayers or certain activities engaged in by taxpayers. This approach recognizes that such provisions are the economic equivalent of a collection of the forgiven tax liability and a simultaneous direct budget outlay to the benefited taxpayers.

tax expenditure budget a listing or compilation of the various tax expenditures inherent in the tax system for the year in question.