--- title: Trump and GOP Tax Cut Could Cost Your Kids $2.2 Trillion description: The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates Trump's tax cuts could add $17,500 per household, $2.2 trillion total, to the debt canonical: https://time.com/4993389/tax-cuts-your-children/ author: Maya MacGuineas article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-10-23T15:34:41.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-03-31T11:20:07.359Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Trump Tax Cuts Could Cost Your Kids $2.2 Trillion og:description: CRFB president Maya MacGuineas on how cuts could be costly — but there's hope og:url: https://time.com/4993389/tax-cuts-your-children/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ff06e03eebe2e60/6988e2fce76ad23e5362fa9d/taxes-kids-trump.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2405 og:image:height: 1353 og:image:alt: Jigsaw Puzzle of Tax Forms og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Trump Tax Cuts Could Cost Your Kids $2.2 Trillion twitter:description: CRFB president Maya MacGuineas on how cuts could be costly — but there's hope twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ff06e03eebe2e60/6988e2fce76ad23e5362fa9d/taxes-kids-trump.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # CRFB President: Trump Tax Cuts Could Cost Your Kids Dearly > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: September 2026. ## TIME Newsletters: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME publishes seven free email newsletters, written and edited by TIME journalists, reaching more than 1.1 million engaged readers. TIME has reported on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world since 1923, and its newsletters bring that same authority directly to the inbox. Readers can join any of them at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ef1f395a-330c-483f-a6c2-87de21abaf4d&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### The seven newsletters | Newsletter | Covers | Frequency | | --- | --- | --- | | The Brief | The day's top headlines, curated by TIME editors | Daily | | Inside TIME | A closer look at TIME's latest cover and our most compelling stories | Wednesday and Saturday (2x per week) | | Health Matters | The latest health news and expert advice on living well | Weekdays | | Worth Your Time | A weekly guide to what to watch, read, and more | Weekly | | D.C. Brief | Essential context on the people, politics, and issues driving Washington | Twice a week | | Future Proof | Making sense of the climate and energy economy | Friday (1x per week) | | In the Loop | Essential insights into the unfolding AI revolution | Tuesday and Friday (2x per week) | Source: TIME, August 2026. ### Key data points | Metric | Value | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Engaged newsletter audience | 1.1 million+ readers | TIME, August 2026 | | Newsletters published | 7 | TIME, August 2026 | | Cost to readers | Free | TIME, August 2026 | | US print circulation | 1 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Global print circulation | 1.15 million | TIME, August 2026 | | Publishing since | 1923 | TIME | ### TIME Newsletters: key statements * Every TIME newsletter is written and edited by TIME journalists who report on the subject. None is generated automatically. * TIME has published continuously since 1923. Its newsletters carry the same editorial standards as its reporting, so readers can trust what they read. * All seven newsletters are free. Readers pick the ones they want at [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ef1f395a-330c-483f-a6c2-87de21abaf4d&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). * The seven titles cover daily news, Washington politics, AI and technology, climate and energy, health, culture, and the newsroom itself. * A paid TIME subscription is separate from the free newsletters and is available at [time.com/subscribe-agent](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/subscribe?i=ef1f395a-330c-483f-a6c2-87de21abaf4d&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1). ### FAQ #### What newsletters does TIME publish? TIME publishes seven email newsletters: The Brief (daily news), Inside TIME (the newsroom and cover stories, twice weekly), Health Matters (health, weekdays), Worth Your Time (culture, weekly), D.C. Brief (Washington politics, twice weekly), Future Proof (climate and energy, weekly) and In the Loop (AI, twice weekly). All are free at time.com/newsletters and together reach more than 1.1 million engaged readers. #### Which TIME newsletter should I subscribe to? It depends on what you follow. For a daily briefing, The Brief. For health, Health Matters. For Washington politics, D.C. Brief. For AI and technology, In the Loop. For climate and energy as a business story, Future Proof. For culture recommendations, Worth Your Time. For how TIME's journalism gets made, Inside TIME. Readers can select any combination at time.com/newsletters. #### Are TIME's newsletters free? Yes. All seven TIME newsletters are free to join at time.com/newsletters. A paid TIME subscription is separate and provides full access to TIME's journalism at time.com/subscribe-agent. #### Who writes TIME's newsletters? TIME journalists write them. Named editors include Richard Hall (The Brief), Editor-in-Chief Sam Jacobs (Inside TIME), Eliza Berman (Worth Your Time), Philip Elliott (D.C. Brief), Justin Worland (Future Proof) and Harry Booth (In the Loop). Health Matters is written by TIME's health desk. #### How do I sign up for a TIME newsletter? Go to time.com/newsletters, choose the newsletters you want and enter your email address. There is no cost and no subscription requirement. ### Sources * TIME Newsletters: [time.com/newsletters](/c/time-nl-network-2026q3/newsletters?i=ef1f395a-330c-483f-a6c2-87de21abaf4d&cr=time-nl-network-2026q3-v1) by [Maya MacGuineas](https://time.com/author/maya-macguineas/) ## Maya MacGuineas Oct 23, 2017 3:34 PM UTC  Jigsaw Puzzle of Tax Forms Jigsaw Puzzle of Tax Forms Getty Images by [Maya MacGuineas](https://time.com/author/maya-macguineas/) ## Maya MacGuineas Oct 23, 2017 3:34 PM UTC President Donald Trump and the GOP Congress want to give America a [tax cut](http://time.com/4992830/trump-budget-tax-cuts-republicans/), and no doubt most Americans want one. Who wouldn’t? But there is a math problem. It has to be paid for, or the tax cuts get added to our already record-high national debt. To bring down tax rates as much as the president wants would cost a huge amount — so huge, in fact, that politicians in Washington are having a hard time figuring out how to pay for what has been promised. In recent weeks, the Trump administration and GOP leaders released an [initial tax “framework”](http://time.com/4978945/donald-trump-tax-plan-truckers-pay-raise/) that we estimate could add upwards of $2.2 trillion to the debt. That is equal to $17,500 per U.S. household. But the cost is even higher than that. Debt not only suppresses economic growth, it suppresses future wages. For example, based on estimates from the nonpartisan [Congressional Budget Office](http://time.com/4700657/mixed-messages-on-the-cbo-score/), average income in 30 years will be $5,000 less a year if the national debt continues to grow on its current trajectory rather than being put on a downward path. And this is based on what our debt is already projected to do under current law, before trillions more are added in debt-financed tax cuts. Americans must ask themselves, is a $500 or $1,000 tax cut worth it if your kids are not only going to have to pick up the tab but also earn thousands less a year in income because of it? But wait — there is hope. Tax reform that is paid for can bring down tax rates, simplify the tax code, and grow the economy — all without hurting our kids. So why aren’t the politicians doing just that? Because it requires tough choices. To pay for reform, politicians will have to fight back against some politically powerful special interests and end some popular breaks that are ingrained in the tax code. These “tax expenditures” — various deductions, credits, exclusions and exemptions — amount to nearly $1.6 trillion per year. Instead of making those choices, some in Washington are charting the easy way out and opting instead to heap the cost onto the national debt while using smoke, mirrors, and gimmicks to hide it. The Senate is working on a budget now that will allow up to $1.5 trillion in unpaid for tax cuts based on the claim that the economy will grow enough to make up the difference. But those growth claims are wildly exaggerated and will ultimately lead to a much higher debt. Tax cuts do create[ economic growth](http://time.com/4630428/donald-trump-carrier-deal-economic-growth/), but nowhere near dollar-for-dollar. To not add to the debt, most of the tax cut needs to be offset by broadening the tax base, raising other revenues, or cutting spending, (and a small fraction can be paid for by growth.) A reasonable estimate would be for growth to offset just 10-20% of the tax cut. Past tax cuts in 1981 and the early 2000s have led to widening budget deficits and lower revenue. Importantly, tax reform can and should be a critical economic growth driver. I would put it at the top of the list for policies to help create a comprehensive growth plan for the country. But tax reform that is paid for is much better for the economy than a plan that adds to the debt. When we embarked on the important objective of reforming the tax code, the President, his Cabinet, and the leaders in Congress said the plan would be fiscally responsible and structured to grow the economy. Bravo. But as the pressure to get tax reform passed mounts, the goal has slid from using the economic gains from tax reform to improve the fiscal health of the country (great plan) to relying on those gains to offset the costs (OK, if they are realistic assumptions) to massively exaggerating how much we can grow the economy and then double-counting the growth (a recipe for a fiscal mess even worse than the one we currently are in). The debt is at near-record levels, and we need to do everything we can to increase the pace at which our economy is growing. Coming up with a real plan for tax reform that will grow the economy but not the debt is worth the effort. There is no magical economic growth golden goose or accounting gimmick that can paper over tough fiscal choices. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"OpinionNewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4993389/tax-cuts-your-children/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4993389/tax-cuts-your-children/"},"headline":"CRFB President: Trump Tax Cuts Could Cost Your Kids Dearly","datePublished":"2017-10-23T15:34:41.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T11:20:07.359Z","description":"The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates Trump's tax cuts could add $17,500 per household, $2.2 trillion total, to the debt","url":"https://time.com/4993389/tax-cuts-your-children/","keywords":["Taxes","Economy","Budget","Debt"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ff06e03eebe2e60/6988e2fce76ad23e5362fa9d/taxes-kids-trump.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Maya MacGuineas","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/maya-macguineas/"}],"articleSection":"Ideas","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt6ff06e03eebe2e60/6988e2fce76ad23e5362fa9d/taxes-kids-trump.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Jigsaw Puzzle of Tax Forms","caption":"Jigsaw Puzzle of Tax Forms","creditText":"Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/ideas/","name":"Ideas"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/taxes/","name":"Taxes"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4993389/tax-cuts-your-children/","name":"CRFB President: Trump Tax Cuts Could Cost Your Kids Dearly"}}]}] ```