January 2017

​Personal income per capita (PIPC) serves as a useful measure of overall standard of living. PIPC represents the amount of money earned by the average individual and what is available...

Three historic pillars of the Texas economy are all commodities—oil, cattle, and cotton. The state's vast territory and natural resources have allowed it to thrive through the production of these...

Everyone hates Texas' property tax. It extracts large sums from property owners annually and spirals endlessly higher with rising values. Taxpayers complain, school officials plead for more funding, and politicians...

Residential solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are rising in popularity as they continue to fall in price. Different from "passive" solar systems that use the sun to heat thick interior walls...

Liquidity of an asset is the speed at which it can be exchanged for cash without affecting its market value. Different assets have different degrees or orders of liquidity. It...

The sign reads "FOR SALE BY OWNER." A buyer calls, and an agreement is made to buy the property. The parties agree to leave the real estate brokers and lawyers out...

Commercial property condemnations can cause a cloud of despair—but tax law may provide a silver lining. Taxpayers are allowed to postpone (or permanently avoid) part or all of the capital...

Some taxpayers underreport income, overstate deductions, or both to reduce their tax bills. Such behavior gives rise to the "tax gap," taxes owed but never paid to the U.S. Department...