Tax Code | featured news

Technology giants Microsoft Corp and Hewlett-Packard Co used offshore units to shield billions of dollars from U.S. taxes by taking advantage of loopholes and stretching the limits of the tax code, a U.S. Senate panel said on Thursday.

The vast majority of tax breaks in the U.S. tax code would be difficult to eliminate because they promote important social goals or are “hugely popular” with voters, according to a new congressional analysis that casts doubt on Republican promises to substantially lower tax rates without increasing budget deficits.

A long-running war between Democrats and Republicans over Bush-era tax cuts doomed the debt supercommittee's chances of reaching a deal. Efforts to overhaul the tax code may await the same fate as both parties gear up to make taxes a central issue in 2012 elections....

Members of the congressional deficit-reduction committee are cooling to the idea of completing a comprehensive overhaul of the tax code by their November deadline, making it more likely the details of any major tax changes will be handled later by House and Senate tax committees, according to congressional aides from both parties.