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Description
Summary
Add support for specifying a base year and base value in uprating metadata to match statutory language in tax codes like IRC §24(i), §63(c)(7), etc.
Current Behavior
Uprating currently uses incremental calculation:
value(2027) = value(2026) × (CPI(2026) / CPI(2025))
value(2028) = value(2027) × (CPI(2027) / CPI(2026))
Desired Behavior
Enable base-year calculation per statutory requirements:
value(year) = base_value × (CPI(year) / CPI(base_year))
Proposed API
metadata:
uprating:
parameter: gov.irs.uprating
base_year: 2017 # Calendar year for base inflation calculation
base_value: 1400 # Optional: for verification/documentation
rounding:
type: downwards
interval: 100Key Requirements
- Manual values override calculation: If IRS announces a specific value (e.g., via Revenue Procedure), that takes precedence over calculated values
- Apply only beyond latest manual value: For years after the last manually-specified value, apply the base-year formula
- Backward compatible: Existing incremental uprating should continue to work
- Verification: Optionally check that base_value matches the parameter value at base_year
Mathematical Equivalence
Note: Incremental and base-year approaches are mathematically equivalent:
Incremental: 2028 = 2026 × (CPI_2027/CPI_2025)
Base-year: 2028 = base_2025 × (CPI_2027/CPI_2024) = 2026 × (CPI_2027/CPI_2025)
However, explicit base-year support improves:
- Traceability to statutory language
- Auditability (clear which base year each parameter uses)
- Documentation (matches how statutes are written)
Examples from US Tax Code
IRC §24(i)(1) - CTC Refundable:
"In the case of a taxable year beginning after 2024, the $1,400 amount in subsection (h)(5) shall be increased...determined by substituting 'calendar year 2017' for 'calendar year 2016'"
IRC §24(i)(2) - CTC Amount:
"In the case of a taxable year beginning after 2025, the $2,200 amount in subsection (h)(2) shall be increased...determined by substituting '2024' for '2016'"
IRC §63(c)(7)(B)(ii)(II) - Standard Deduction:
Uses "calendar year 2024" as reference for adjustments beginning after 2025
Use Case
PolicyEngine US issue #6671 adds 2026 IRS tax parameters. Several parameters specify base-year calculations in statute, but we currently implement them incrementally.
Related: PolicyEngine/policyengine-us#[WILL_CREATE]