• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health

3

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world

1

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it

2

'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health

3

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
Personal FinanceTaxes

Kamala Harris’s economic agenda: What experts say it might look like

Alicia Adamczyk
By
Alicia Adamczyk
Alicia Adamczyk
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
Alicia Adamczyk
By
Alicia Adamczyk
Alicia Adamczyk
Senior Writer
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 24, 2024, 11:19 AM ET
You think tax policy just falls out of a coconut tree?
You think tax policy just falls out of a coconut tree?Brendan Smialowski / Contributor
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Vice President Kamala Harris is now poised to be the Democratic party’s nominee for President. And while she has yet to officially outline her policy agenda, tax experts and economists say her history in office—and previous run for the presidency—gives a good indication of what taxpayers and businesses can expect.

Recommended Video

It’s a fair bet a Harris administration would pursue similar priorities to those of her predecessor, Joe Biden, including higher taxes on the wealthy and some businesses, says John Gimigliano, principal in charge of KPMG’s federal legislative and regulatory services group.

But Gimigliano says he also expects Harris to “put her own stamp” on these ideas, like she did with the 2019 LIFT the Middle Class Act, which would have given a $3,000 refundable tax credit ($6,000 per couple) to most low- and middle-income Americans.

“One important X-Factor in scoping the direction of Harris tax policy is who her Secretary of Treasury would be,” says Gimigliano. “More than anyone else in the administration, that person will have their hands on the wheel in steering tax policy.”

Harris previously ran for president in 2020, and her policies then were “far more progressive” than what the Biden-Harris administration has pursued, says Jon Traub, tax policy group leader of Deloitte Tax LLP’s Washington National Tax office. But that doesn’t mean she would pivot to that agenda as president.

“That is not unusual for someone trying to stand out in a multi-candidate primary, but it would be unusual for her to move further left on tax or other policy items once she is the nominee,” Traub says. “Normally we see candidates move toward the center once they secure their party’s nomination.”

In her first campaign speech on Tuesday, Harris said everyone should have access to affordable health care and child care, and reiterated her support for paid family leave.

“Building up the middle class will be a defining goal of my presidency,” Harris said. “Because we here know when our middle class is strong, America is strong.”

With all that in mind, here’s what else taxpayers can likely expect from a potential Harris administration.

Trump tax cuts

Most of the individual tax cuts in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) former President Donald Trump signed off on while in office expire at the end of 2025. While Harris voted against the TCJA as a senator in 2017, it is not clear whether or not she would sign off on an extension of the cuts. President Biden has endorsed letting the tax cuts expire for those earning over $400,000, but not raising taxes on those making less.

In fact, to pay for the LIFT the Middle Class Act mentioned above, Harris proposed funding it by repealing all provisions of the TCJA except those providing relief to taxpayers earning less than $100,000 per year.

Aside from the individual tax cuts, the TCJA lowered taxes on businesses as well. Those cuts were made permanent. But Biden has proposed raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%. He has also advocated for a minimum income tax on billionaires and an increase in the capital gains tax for high earners.

Student loan forgiveness

The Biden-Harris administration has made student loan forgiveness a cornerstone of their economic agenda, cancelling billions of dollars in debt over the past four years. It also tried to pass a wide-scale forgiveness plan that was eventually blocked by conservatives on the Supreme Court.

In addition to debt cancellation, the administration has made other changes to the public loan program, including creating a new, more generous repayment plan (that is currently on hold due to a conservative lawsuit), making significant changes to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, and significantly increasing Pell Grants.

Harris has long fought for students. Her investigation into for-profit college chain Corinthian Colleges as Attorney General of California eventually led to over half a million enrollees having their debt forgiven.

Child tax credit

While Harris advocated for the LIFT act a few years ago, Democrats have been pushing for a different tax credit over the past few years. The Biden administration has been advocating for bringing back the enhanced child tax credit, which reduced child poverty significantly when it was in place in 2021.

“Whereas the last administration gave tax cuts to billionaires, we gave tax cuts to families through the child tax credit, which cut child poverty in America by half,” Harris said at a political event in North Carolina earlier this month.

Harris’s own finances

Harris’s own finances are, well, boring, according to a federal disclosures first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Most of her and her husband’s assets are held in retirement accounts that are invested in index funds, and they hold a “fair amount” in cash. They also have a 2.625% mortgage rate.

But that’s a good thing, financial advisors say. For most people, investing in index funds is a great way to get a low-cost, diversified portfolio.

The Fortune 500 Innovation Forum will convene Fortune 500 executives, U.S. policy officials, top founders, and thought leaders to help define what’s next for the American economy, Nov. 16-17 in Detroit. Apply here.
About the Author
Alicia Adamczyk
By Alicia AdamczykSenior Writer
LinkedIn iconTwitter icon

Alicia Adamczyk is a former New York City-based senior writer at Fortune, covering personal finance, investing, and retirement.

See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Personal Finance

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Personal Finance

Who needs rate cuts? Even the Fed’s new chair admits companies are easily raising capital on financial markets amid epic stock and debt binge
BankingStock
Who needs rate cuts? Even the Fed’s new chair admits companies are easily raising capital on financial markets amid epic stock and debt binge
By Jason MaJune 20, 2026
14 hours ago
t
Personal Financestudent loans and debt
Trump’s student loan rate cut excludes most of the 9 million borrowers in default
By Alia Wong, Collin Binkley and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
16 hours ago
Photo of Basant Shenouda
SuccessThe Interview Playbook
Gen Z grad landed a job at LinkedIn by waitressing at a conference full of recruiters and handing out her résumé during breaks—now she works at Google
By Orianna Rosa RoyleJune 20, 2026
21 hours ago
Top CD rates today, June 19, 2026: Lock in up to up to 4.30%
Personal FinanceCertificates of Deposit (CDs)
Top CD rates today, June 19, 2026: Lock in up to up to 4.30%
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 19, 2026
2 days ago
Today’s top high-yield savings rates: Up to 5.00% on June 19, 2026
Personal FinanceSavings accounts
Today’s top high-yield savings rates: Up to 5.00% on June 19, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 19, 2026
2 days ago
Current refi mortgage rates report for June 19, 2026
Personal FinanceReal Estate
Current refi mortgage rates report for June 19, 2026
By Glen Luke FlanaganJune 19, 2026
2 days ago

Most Popular

Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
Environment
Jeff Bezos pledged $10 billion for climate change. With the 2030 clock ticking, his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, is leading the charge to spend it
By Sydney LakeJune 19, 2026
2 days ago
'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
Health
'I literally was crying last night because I’m nervous about what I’m going to find out': a record 51% of Americans aren't 'cost secure' on health
By Ali Swenson, Amelia Thomson-Deveaux and The Associated PressJune 20, 2026
16 hours ago
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
Success
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says electricians and plumbers will be needed by the hundreds of thousands in the new working world
By Preston ForeJune 20, 2026
21 hours ago
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
Economy
The Great Recession’s missing children are finally bringing college’s financial crisis into sight. Welcome to the ‘enrollment volatility’ era
By Tristan BoveJune 20, 2026
1 day ago
A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
Economy
A new trade war may be brewing. This time, Europe is taking a page from Trump's playbook — 'We no longer live in a world of pink ponies and rainbows'
By Jason MaJune 20, 2026
11 hours ago
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
Success
Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer publicly dismissed Chrome as a 'rounding error'—but Google’s CEO says he used the jab as fuel to win the browser-wars
By Preston ForeJune 17, 2026
4 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.