Jason J. Fichtner

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Jason J. Fichtner

  • Senior Research Fellow
Jason J. Fichtner is Senior Research Fellow at the Mercatus
Center, a university-based research center at George Mason
University. Previously, he served in several positions at the
Social Security Administration (SSA) including Deputy
Commissioner of Social Security (Acting), Chief Economist and
Associate Commissioner for Retirement Policy. Prior to the
Social Security Administration, Dr. Fichtner was a Senior
Economist with the Joint Economic Committee (JEC) of the
United States Congress.
Dr. Fichtner’s primary research interests and publications
address issues such as Social Security, federal tax policy,
federal budget policy, retirement security, and policy proposals
to increase saving and investment.
Before joining the JEC, he was a Senior Consultant with the
Office of Federal Tax Services of Arthur Andersen in
Washington, DC. At Arthur Andersen he worked on transfer
pricing issues for large multinational corporations to ensure compliance with U.S. and international tax
regulations. Jason started his DC-based career as an Economist with the Research Division of the Internal
Revenue Service, where he forecast return volumes and developed econometric models to assist tax
compliance and administrative initiatives.
Jason received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; his Master of
Public Policy degree from Georgetown University; and his Ph.D. in Public Administration & Policy from
Virginia Tech. His dissertation research focused on the use of tax distribution tables in the federal tax
policy arena.
Jason was elected by his fellow Georgetown alumni to serve a two-year term on the inaugural
Georgetown Public Policy Institute Alumni Board starting in 2005. He was subsequently elected
Chairman by the other members of the Board. He continues to serve as a member of the GPPI Alumni
Board. Jason was honored as the 2006 recipient of the Colin Campbell Award, which recognizes GPPI
alumni for their support of the GPPI community. Jason was also honored by Virginia Tech, as the
recipient of the Outstanding Recent Alumnus of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies for 2009-
2010.
Dr. Fichtner serves on the Adjunct Faculty at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute, the Johns Hopkins
School of Advanced International Studies and the Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration &
Policy where he teaches courses in Economics, Public Finance, Public Policy Process, Public
Management and Public Budgeting Processes.

Jason J. Fichtner is a senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. Previously, he served in several positions at the Social Security Administration, including as Deputy Commissioner of Social Security (Acting), Chief Economist, and Associate Commissioner for Retirement Policy. Dr. Fichtner has also served as Senior Economist with the Joint Economic Committee of the U.S. Congress.

Dr. Fichtner’s primary research interests include Social Security, federal tax policy, federal budget policy, retirement security, and policy proposals to increase saving and investment.

Before joining the JEC, he served as Senior Consultant with the Office of Federal Tax Services of Arthur Andersen in Washington, DC. He worked on transfer pricing issues for large multinational corporations to ensure compliance with U.S. and international tax regulations. Dr. Fichtner started his DC-based career as an Economist with the Research Division of the Internal Revenue Service, where he forecast return volumes and developed econometric models to assist tax compliance and administrative initiatives.

Dr. Fichtner earned his BA from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; his MPP from Georgetown University; and his PhD in Public Administration & Policy from Virginia Tech. His dissertation research focused on the use of tax distribution tables in the federal tax policy arena.

Dr. Fichtner was elected by his fellow Georgetown alumni to serve a two-year term on the inaugural Georgetown Public Policy Institute Alumni Board starting in 2005. The other members of the Board subsequently elected him chairman. He continues to serve as a member of the GPPI Alumni Board. Dr. Fichtner was honored as the 2006 recipient of the Colin Campbell Award, which recognizes GPPI alumni for their support of the GPPI community. Dr. Fichtner also received Virginia Tech's award for Outstanding Recent Alumnus of the College of Architecture and Urban Studies for 2009-2010.

Dr. Fichtner serves on the Adjunct Faculty at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute, the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and the Virginia Tech Center for Public Administration & Policy where he teaches courses in Economics, Public Finance, Public Policy Process, Public Management, and Public Budgeting Processes.

 

Published Research

Reducing Debt and Other Measures For Improving U.S. Competitiveness

Jason J. Fichtner, Jakina R. Debnam | Nov 13, 2012
A new Mercatus Center study discusses potential near- and longer-term impacts of high levels of government debt on U.S. economic growth and competitiveness. The study also reviews the experiences of other nations with debt-to-GDP ratios similar to that of the United States.

Limiting Social Security's Drag on Economic Growth

Charles Blahous, Jason J. Fichtner | Nov 01, 2012
A new Mercatus Center at George Mason University study finds that pro-economic growth entitlement reform must not only rein in unsustainable cost growth, but also remove the barriers to labor force participation and disincentives to personal savings currently embedded in the largest entitlement programs generally, and the Social Security program in particular.

The Debt Ceiling: What is at Stake?

Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner | Apr 28, 2011
This paper takes a detailed look at the facts behind raising the debt ceiling.

Working Papers

Taxing Marriage: Microeconomic Behavioral Responses to the Marriage Penalty and Reforms for the 21st Century

Jason J. Fichtner, Jacob Feldman | Sep 17, 2012
Politicians often stress that marriage is a key institution that promotes family values. However, many aspects of the federal tax code do not promote marriage and may in fact provide disincentives and penalize marriage. As more women enter the labor force and female wages rise, the marriage penalty becomes increasingly important to horizontal tax equity concerns and for economic growth. Today, the United States is one of only seven Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries to employ joint taxation for married couples.1…

When are Tax Expenditures Really Spending?

Jason J. Fichtner, Jacob Feldman | Nov 14, 2011
This working paper explores how unchecked tax expenditures obscure honest public-policy conversations about the size of government.

Why the United States Needs to Restructure the Corporate Income Tax

Jason J. Fichtner, Nick Tuszynski | Nov 02, 2011
Firms respond to high tax rates and relocate economic activity to lower-tax countries. Thus, the current U.S. corporate tax structure places U.S.-headquartered corporations at a tremendous disadvantage in the global marketplace because other countries have lowered their corporate income tax rates to welcome multinational corporations. This paper discusses the economic implications of corporate taxes.

Attempts to Control Medicare Spending: A Sisyphean Task?

Jason J. Fichtner, John Pulito | Sep 12, 2011
There is growing general concern regarding medicare's sustainability into the future, a concern warranted by the fact that the program is projected to become insolvent by 2024.
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Charts

Growth in Entitlements Means Less Money to Budget

Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner | Jan 14, 2013
Trends in the components of government spending have significantly shifted in the past 40 years and look to become increasingly occupied by spending on mandatory programs—such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid—and interest payments on the national debt. This week’s chart gives a comparative look at trends in the composition of government spending through snapshots from the 1970 budget, today’s budget, and the projected 2040 budget.

Better Measures of Unemployment

Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner | Sep 24, 2012
In this week’s chart, Mercatus Center senior research fellows Veronique de Rugy and Jason Fichtner provide a comparison of the official unemployment rate reported by the media with alternative measures of the unemployment rate reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Data from the BLS is used to assess labor market conditions from several perspectives.

Comparison of BLS Alternative National Unemployment Rates

Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner | Feb 14, 2012
This chart provides a comparison of the official unemployment rate reported by the media with alternative measures of the unemployment rate reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Breakdown of Federal Personal Income Taxes

Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner | Apr 18, 2011
This week, Mercatus Center Senior Research Fellows Veronique de Rugy and Jason J. Fichtner chart the fairness of the federal income tax.

Policy Briefs

The Debt Limit Debate

Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner | May 26, 2011
While the United States should not default on its debt, neither should Congress raise the debt ceiling without addressing the problem that created the debt: excessive spending.

Can We Trust the Social Security Trust Funds?

Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner | Jan 24, 2011
Lawmakers will consider different options for Social Security reform in the coming year; do they have all the necessary facts to do this? This Mercatus on Policy highlights the key points they need to know.

Artificially Sweetening the COLA

Jason J. Fichtner | Nov 30, 2010
Providing a COLA or one-time payment beyond what is warranted by an increase in the CPI would actually increase “real” benefits, artificially sweetening the COLA.

Testimony & Comments

Increasing America’s Competitiveness by Lowering the Corporate Tax Rate and Simplifying the Tax Code

Jason J. Fichtner | Jan 31, 2012
Jason Fichtner testified before the Senate Committee on Finance about ways to increase America's competitiveness through tax reform.

Research Summaries & Toolkits

The FY 2014 Budget Proposals

Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner, Charles Blahous, Matthew Mitchell | Mar 15, 2013
Despite years without a federal budget, trillion-dollar deficits, and ad hoc, crisis-driven fiscal and economic policies that failed to deal with the looming entitlement crisis, leaders on both sides in Washington are now touting seemingly miraculous progress toward a “fix” to our budgetary woes.

The Debt Ceiling: Assets Available to Prevent Default

Jason J. Fichtner, Veronique de Rugy | Jan 25, 2013
The debt ceiling, or the legal limit the federal government may borrow, is set currently at $16.4 trillion.[1] In his latest report, Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner predicts that the United States will need to increase the debt ceiling sometime between February 15, 2013, and early March 2013.[2] The Congressional Research Service estimates the federal government will have to issue an additional $700 billion in debt above the current statutory limit to finance obligations for the remainder of FY2013…

Analysis of Legislation in Order to Reduce Spending

Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner, Matthew Mitchell | Sep 12, 2011
This toolkit provides members and their staffs with tools to help them evaluate spending bills and start the process of reducing government spending.

Performance and Accountability

Jerry Ellig, Jason J. Fichtner, Maurice P. McTigue | Sep 12, 2011
Congress should conduct rigorous oversight of federal agencies and programs not just to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, but also because current levels of spending are unsustainable, making spending cuts inevitable.
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Media Clippings

Biggest tax hit? Look out, Maryland

Jason J. Fichtner | Dec 05, 2012
Outlet: The Washington Times

In Montana, Crow Tribe Sees Perils to 'Fiscal Cliff'

Jason J. Fichtner | Nov 19, 2012
Outlet: USA Today

Social Security Claiming Tricks to Maximize Payout

Jason J. Fichtner | Oct 19, 2012
Outlet: Market Watch

GHEI: Taxing Marriage

Jason J. Fichtner, Jacob Feldman | Sep 26, 2012
Outlet: The Washington Times
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Expert Commentary

Give Up Tax Breaks For Retirement Savers?

MarketWatch
By Jason J. Fichtner |
Feb 01, 2013

Now the U.S. finds itself over $16 trillion in debt and has run deficits of over $1 trillion in each of the last four years . The tax increases as a resultof the fiscal cliff end game won't provide much additional revenue to balance the budget. Further, by punting the sequestration a few months down the road, failing to control borrowing by suspending the debt ceiling, and delaying passing a full-year budget for fiscal-year 2013, Congress has yet to make any of the hard choices necessary to solve our nation's fiscal problems and reduce the deficit.

The Fiscal Cliff Deal: Mercatus Center Scholars React

By Veronique de Rugy, Jason J. Fichtner, Charles Blahous, Matthew Mitchell |
Jan 02, 2013

As the nation narrowly averts the dreaded “fiscal cliff,” can Americans finally exhale with the knowledge that Washington’s last-minute deal is a good deal for them? Mercatus Center at George Mason University scholars suggest the following key questions to help gauge whether the fiscal cliff deal is a real step toward improving the nation’s dire fiscal outlook.

Chained CPI: Diet COLA for Social Security

Market Watch
By Jason J. Fichtner |
Dec 20, 2012

As negotiations between President Obama and Speaker Boehner rapidly close on the end of the year deadline for avoiding the fiscal cliff, media attention has been focused on the back-and-forth over increasing taxes. But there hasn't been much attention to the spending side of the negotiations. That is, however, with one exception — changing the way Social Security Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) are computed.

Current Tax Debate Needs To Focus On Reform, Job Creation

The Hill
By Jason J. Fichtner, James Carter |
Nov 26, 2012

Higher tax revenues are not necessarily evidence of a tax increase. In focusing exclusively on what constitutes a tax increase, we are distracted from the larger issue; that the income tax system is broken and needs major reform. The more meaningful debate should focus on promoting tax reforms that encourage job creation, investment and savings while also removing provisions that de-incentivize work.
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Contact

Jason J. Fichtner

Research Areas

Budget FY 2012, Economics, Budget Reform, Debt & Deficit, Medicare, Medicaid, & Social Security, Pensions, Stimulus, Tax Policy, Spending & Budget

Videos

Spending Restraint and Lessons Learned: Why Cutting Spending is Key to Balancing the Federal Budget

Jason J. Fichtner, James C. Miller III, Mike Enzi, Connie Mack, Chris Edwards | April 26, 2012

Behind the Numbers: Understanding the President's FY 2013 Budget Submission to Congress

Jason J. Fichtner | February 23, 2012

A Sustainable Approach to Entitlement Reform

Charles Blahous, Jason J. Fichtner, Alice M. Rivlin, Robert Reischauer | October 25, 2011

How Can the Tax Code be Reformed to Promote Economic Growth and Sufficient Revenue?

Jason J. Fichtner, Bruce Yandle, Donald Marron | September 29, 2011

The Fiscal Future of Medicare and Social Security

Jason J. Fichtner, Charles Blahous, Robert Reischauer | June 10, 2011
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Books

Governing to Win: Enhancing National Competitiveness Through New Policy and Operating Approaches

Jason J. Fichtner | Aug 27, 2012
This book shows not only what is wrong with the current federal spending plan, but ways to fix it. Business professionals and anyone interested in the government’s response the recession will find this an important book. Mercatus senior research fellow Jason Fichtner authored Chapter 5: “Three Approaches to Fostering Economic Competitiveness.”…
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Podcasts

The FY 2014 ‘Budget’: The Proposals and Where We Go from Here

Jason J. Fichtner | April 30, 2013
This Capitol Hill Campus event covered the president’s and Congress’s fiscal year 2014 budget proposals—and whether any of the proposals adequately address the nation’s long-term budget challenges.
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