Revenue Estimating Methodology

The Joint Committee Staff is responsible for providing the U.S. Congress with the budgetary effects of all tax legislation. The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 stipulates that revenue estimates provided by the Joint Committee Staff will be the official estimates for all tax legislation considered by the Congress. In order to fulfill its objective of providing budgetary effects of revenue legislation, the Joint Committee Staff employs Ph.D. economists, attorneys, and accountants (see about us page). The objective of the estimating process is to produce accurate, consistent, fair, and impartial estimates that can be relied upon by Members of Congress in making legislative decisions.

Over time, the Joint Committee Staff has published documents that discuss in detail the methodologies, data, and procedures that are used to produce revenue estimates. These pamphlets are listed below.