--- title: "The #TinyTax: A Simpler, Fairer Tax System for the Modern Economy" description: The Tiny Tax would replace income taxes, eliminate filing returns, and fund America’s future with a microscopic tax on financial transactions. image: https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/MichiganStreetfeat.png --- [Skip to the main content.](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tinytax#main-content) [![Congressional4CRetina-1](https://www.mark4wi.info/hs-fs/hubfs/Congressional4CRetina-1.png?width=1152&height=432&name=Congressional4CRetina-1.png "Congressional4CRetina-1")](https://mark4wi.info) [![Congressional4CRetina-1](https://www.mark4wi.info/hs-fs/hubfs/Congressional4CRetina-1.png?width=600&height=225&name=Congressional4CRetina-1.png "Congressional4CRetina-1")](https://mark4wi.info) - [Dashboard](https://www.mark4wi.info/dashboard) - About Mark - [Get to Know Mark](https://www.mark4wi.info/meet-mark) - [Come to An Event](https://www.mark4wi.info/events) - About the Campaign - [Our Winning Campaign](https://www.mark4wi.info/about-the-campaign) - [Endorsements](https://www.mark4wi.info/endorsements) - Sustainable Policies - [Economy](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/a-sustainable-economy-for-a-lasting-prosperity-1a) - [Society](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/a-sustainable-society-strengthens-our-republic-1) - [Environment](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/a-sustainable-environment-is-our-birthright-1a) - [Blog](https://www.mark4wi.info/post) - [Media & Press Releases](https://www.mark4wi.info/media) - [Contact](https://www.mark4wi.info/contact) [Donate](https://www.mark4wi.info/funding) [Volunteer](https://www.mark4wi.info/contact) Toggle Menu Toggle Menu [Donate](https://www.mark4wi.info/funding) [Volunteer](https://www.mark4wi.info/contact) - [Dashboard](https://www.mark4wi.info/dashboard) - About Mark - [Get to Know Mark](https://www.mark4wi.info/meet-mark) - [Come to An Event](https://www.mark4wi.info/events) - About the Campaign - [Our Winning Campaign](https://www.mark4wi.info/about-the-campaign) - [Endorsements](https://www.mark4wi.info/endorsements) - Sustainable Policies - [Economy](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/a-sustainable-economy-for-a-lasting-prosperity-1a) - [Society](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/a-sustainable-society-strengthens-our-republic-1) - [Environment](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/a-sustainable-environment-is-our-birthright-1a) - [Blog](https://www.mark4wi.info/post) - [Media & Press Releases](https://www.mark4wi.info/media) - [Contact](https://www.mark4wi.info/contact) [![50x4FundFront](https://www.mark4wi.info/hs-fs/hubfs/50x4FundFront.png?width=600&height=375&name=50x4FundFront.png)](https://www.mark4wi.info/50x4)   [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/markscheffler4congress/) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mark4congress2026/) [Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-scheffler-1433008/) [X](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tinytax#0) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@Mark4Congress2026) [Medium](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tinytax#0) [Tiktok](https://www.tiktok.com/@markscheffler4congress) [BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/mark4congress.bsky.social) 4 min read # The #TinyTax: A Simpler, Fairer Tax System for the Modern Economy [![Picture of Mark Scheffler](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/MarkPark800x960.png) Mark Scheffler](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/author/mark-scheffler) : Updated on April 16, 2026 [Economy](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/economy) [#TinyTax](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/tinytax) [Healthcare](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/healthcare) [Debt Reduction](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/debt-reduction) ![The #TinyTax: A Simpler, Fairer Tax System for the Modern Economy](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/MichiganStreetfeat.png) For more than a century, the United States has taxed income — the wages we earn, the savings we build, and the investments we make. But the modern economy no longer runs primarily on paper paychecks and physical commerce. Today’s economy runs on **digital financial transactions moving at lightning speed through electronic networks.** It's a bridge to the future, and we've got a front row seat. Every day, trillions of dollars move through the American financial system — through banks, stock markets, payment networks, and settlement systems. Yet almost none of that activity is taxed directly. Meanwhile, working families spend countless hours filing complicated tax returns. There is a better way. The #**TinyTax** proposes replacing much of our complex tax code with a microscopic tax on financial transactions — a tax so small that most Americans would hardly notice it, yet powerful enough to generate the revenue needed to run the federal government. The goal is simple: ### Replace a complicated tax system with one #TinyTax collected automatically when money moves.     ### The Problem With the Current Tax System   The United States currently operates one of the most complicated tax systems in the world. And Americans collectively spend enormous resources complying with it. ![TaxHeadacheTall](https://www.mark4wi.info/hs-fs/hubfs/TaxHeadacheTall.png?width=500&height=625&name=TaxHeadacheTall.png)   ![Taxes](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/Taxes.png) **Time Spent Preparing Taxes:** ≅6 Billion Hours ![Tax2026](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/Tax2026.png) **Professional Tax Prep:** ≅$60 Billion ![CorporateTax](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/CorporateTax.png) **Business Tax Compliance:** ≅$200 Billion ![TaxSoftware](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/TaxSoftware.png) **Software and Accounting Services:** ≅$100 Billion That’s hundreds of billions of dollars spent simply **figuring out how much tax we owe.** Even worse, the system is riddled with loopholes that reward those who can afford armies of accountants and lawyers. Meanwhile, the people who simply earn a paycheck often carry the greatest burden.     ### The Core Idea Behind the #TinyTax   Instead of taxing income through thousands of pages of tax code, the Tiny Tax would apply a **microscopic tax to all financial transactions that take place in theU.S. economy.** Every time money moves through the financial system — whether through a bank transfer, stock trade, or electronic payment — a tiny fraction of that transaction would be automatically collected.   ![MicroscopeTall](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/MicroscopeTall.png)   ### Who created the #TinyTax? It's the best idea to come out of the University of Wisconsin that you've probably not heard of yet. It was created by [Dr. Edgar Feige](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edgar_L._Feige), Emeritus Professor of Economics who called it the [Automated Payments Transaction Tax (APT Tax)](https://wisc.academia.edu/EdgarFeige/Transaction%20Tax%20and%20Tax%20Reform). ![Screenshot 2026-03-13 at 12.51.17 PM](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-03-13%20at%2012.51.17%20PM.png) #### Dr. Edger Feige ##### Emeritus Professor of Economics **Edgar L. Feige** (1937 - 2024) was an emeritus professor of economics at the [University of Wisconsin–Madison](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Wisconsin%E2%80%93Madison). A graduate of [Columbia University](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_University) (BA. 1958) and the [University of Chicago](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Chicago) (Ph.D., 1963), he has taught at [Yale University](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yale_University); the [University of Essex](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Essex); [Erasmus University](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erasmus_University) and held the [Cleveringa](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveringa) Chair, at the [University of Leiden](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Leiden) in 1981–82. He has published widely on such topics as underground and shadow economies, tax evasion, transition economics, financial transaction taxes, the Automated Payment Transaction tax (APT taxes and monetary theory and policy.  ### The rate would be extremely small: | Transaction | #TinyTax Paid by Receiver (0.4%) | | --- | --- | | $10 Transaction | 4¢ | | $100 Transaction | 40¢ | | $1000 Transaction | $4 | | $10,000 Transaction | $40 |   For everyday Americans, the cost would be minimal. But across the massive scale of the U.S. financial system, that tiny rate adds up. And the rules are simple, fair, and efficient:   ### The Scale of the Modern Financial System Modern financial markets process enormous volumes of transactions every year. Estimates suggest that **$3 to $5 quadrillion** moves through the U.S. financial system annually. Even a tiny fraction of that volume generates enormous revenue.   ##### #TinyTax Would Generate Trillions of Dollars in Revenue (0.4% rate): 12000000000000   For perspective, total federal revenue today is about **$4.5 trillion annually.**   ### Why the #TinyTax Is So Efficient The #TinyTax works because it is **automatic**. Rather than asking millions of Americans to calculate their taxes each year, the tax would be collected directly by the financial infrastructure that already processes transactions. Collection could occur through: - Federal Reserve clearing systems - ACH payment networks - Wire transfers - Debit and credit card settlement systems - Brokerage clearing systems In other words: ### The tax would be collected automatically when transactions settle.   No filing required. No paperwork. No audits for ordinary Americans. April 15th becomes just another beautiful day.     ### Who Pays the Most?   Because the tax is based on financial activity, it naturally scales with the size of transactions. The biggest contributors would be entities that move enormous amounts of money through financial markets. These include: - High-frequency trading firms - Large financial institutions - Hedge funds - Large multinational corporations - Global capital flows ![Skyscraper-1](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/Skyscraper-1.png) Meanwhile, ordinary Americans who primarily earn wages would see far lower tax burdens. This effectively shifts taxation away from **labor** and toward **the movement of money through the digital economy.**   > ### A #TinyTax on Wall Street could replace massive taxes on Main Street.   Today, millions of Americans spend weeks every year dealing with taxes. But under the #TinyTax system, most Americans would **never file a tax return again. **That means no longer purchasing tax preparation software, hiring tax preparers, navigating complex deductions, and never again filing IRS paperwork. That represents an enormous financial and psychological relief.   ### What Could the Tiny Tax Fund? Because the tax generates trillions in revenue, it could support major national priorities.   ### Some potential investments include: - #### Universal Primary Healthcare Coverage Mark is proposing **CitizenCare CORE™**, a universal primary healthcare program for every American from birth through medicare age (currently 65). It would be focused on: - preventive medicine - wellness checkups - diagnostics - mental health screening - vaccinations - #### Social Security Stability Protect retirement security for millions of Americans. - #### Education Affordability Reduce student debt, offer property tax relief, and expand workforce training - #### Housing Supply Invest in construction and housing access, especially for younger Americans, veterans and the unhoused - #### Clean, Renewable Energy Powered by American Farmers Support clean energy development and agricultural innovation. - #### National Debt Reduction Restore fiscal responsibility by paying down long-term debt ### Something for Everybody Conservatives like the Tiny Tax because it simplifies the tax code, protects privacy, and reduces bureaucracy. Progressives like it because it makes the financial system used by large corporations and the ultra wealthy contribute their fair share. That’s what real reform looks like.   - For Conservatives - For Progressives • Eliminates the IRS filing nightmare — most Americans would never file a tax return again • Massive tax simplification — replaces thousands of pages of tax code • Lower taxes for many middle-class families • Cuts compliance costs for small businesses • Harder to cheat or evade — taxes are collected automatically • Encourages economic growth by removing taxes on work and investment • Reduces the power of tax lobbyists and loopholes • Modernizes government without expanding bureaucracy • Potential to stabilize Social Security and reduce deficits • Financial markets finally contribute their fair share • High-frequency trading and massive capital flows help fund government • Reduces tax burden on workers and wages • Eliminates many loopholes used by the ultra-wealthy • Creates stable funding for healthcare, education, and housing • Captures revenue from Wall Street activity currently untaxed • Extremely difficult to evade or offshore • Provides trillions in revenue for social investments   ### #TinyTax Timeline > “The goal is not to create chaos. The goal is to replace one of the most expensive, complicated, loophole-ridden tax systems in the world with something simpler and fairer. We begin small. We measure results. We protect federal revenue. We cut taxes for families and businesses step by step. And only when the new system proves itself do we fully retire the old one.”       ![map-to-find-the-sweet-treasure-on-black-blackboard-2026-03-24-13-00-44-utc](https://www.mark4wi.info/hs-fs/hubfs/map-to-find-the-sweet-treasure-on-black-blackboard-2026-03-24-13-00-44-utc.jpg?height=2000&name=map-to-find-the-sweet-treasure-on-black-blackboard-2026-03-24-13-00-44-utc.jpg)   [View Timeline](https://www.mark4wi.info/tinytax-proposed-timeline) --- ### Take the #TinyTax for a Test Drive   [See for yourself the difference between the current tax system and the #TinyTax...](https://tax-calculator-compare.deploypad.app/)   [![Screenshot 2026-04-16 at 9.07.52 AM](https://www.mark4wi.info/hs-fs/hubfs/Screenshot%202026-04-16%20at%209.07.52%20AM.png?width=1240&height=752&name=Screenshot%202026-04-16%20at%209.07.52%20AM.png)](https://tax-calculator-compare.deploypad.app/) ### The Bottom Line The #TinyTax represents a bold modernization of the American tax system. It replaces complexity with simplicity. It shifts the burden away from working families. And it captures revenue from the enormous financial activity that drives the modern economy. A #TinyTax. A massive simplification. And a modern tax system powering the American ecoomy.   [![Share on facebook](https://7528309.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528309/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/facebook-color.png?width=24&name=facebook-color.png)](https://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mark4wi.info%2Fpost%2Ftinytax%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on linkedin](https://7528302.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528302/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/linkedin-color.png?width=24&name=linkedin-color.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mark4wi.info%2Fpost%2Ftinytax%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on twitter](https://7528304.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528304/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/twitter-color.png?width=24&name=twitter-color.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mark4wi.info%2Fpost%2Ftinytax%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mark4wi.info%2Fpost%2Ftinytax%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=) [![Share on pinterest](https://7528311.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528311/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/pinterest-color.png?width=24&name=pinterest-color.png)](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mark4wi.info%2Fpost%2Ftinytax%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dpinterest&media=) [![Share on email](https://7528311.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hub/7528311/hubfs/raw_assets/public/mV0_d-web-default-modules_hubspot/img/email-color.png?width=24&name=email-color.png)](mailto:?subject=Check+out+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mark4wi.info%2Fpost%2Ftinytax%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail&body=Check+out+https%3A%2F%2Fwww.mark4wi.info%2Fpost%2Ftinytax%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) [![CitizenCare CORE: A Healthy Foundation for Every American](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/ChildDr-1.png)](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/citizencare-core-a-healthy-foundation-for-every-american) 1 min read #### [CitizenCare CORE: A Healthy Foundation for Every American](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/citizencare-core-a-healthy-foundation-for-every-american) [![Picture of Mark Scheffler](https://www.mark4wi.info/hs-fs/hubfs/MarkPark800x960.png?width=30&name=MarkPark800x960.png) Mark Scheffler](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/author/mark-scheffler) : 3/15/26, 1:28 PM America has the most advanced medical technology in the world and at the same time we also have the most expensive healthcare system. Too many... [Economy](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/economy) [Society](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/society) [#TinyTax](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/tinytax) [Healthcare](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/healthcare) [Affordability](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/affordability) [Read More](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/citizencare-core-a-healthy-foundation-for-every-american) [![A Sustainable Economy For A Lasting Prosperity](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/SusEconSB.png)](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/a-sustainable-economy-for-a-lasting-prosperity-1a) 1 min read #### [A Sustainable Economy For A Lasting Prosperity](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/a-sustainable-economy-for-a-lasting-prosperity-1a) [![Picture of Mark Scheffler](https://www.mark4wi.info/hs-fs/hubfs/MarkPark800x960.png?width=30&name=MarkPark800x960.png) Mark Scheffler](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/author/mark-scheffler) : 3/9/26, 9:50 PM Today I want to talk to you about my transformative vision for our economy — one that moves us from a relentless pursuit of growth alone to a... [Economy](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/economy) [#TinyTax](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/tinytax) [Debt Reduction](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/debt-reduction) [Affordability](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/affordability) [Read More](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/a-sustainable-economy-for-a-lasting-prosperity-1a) [![Farmers fueled the past. They can power the future with NextGen Ag](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/BiomassPlant.png)](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/farmers-fueled-the-past.-they-can-power-the-future) 1 min read #### [Farmers fueled the past. They can power the future with NextGen Ag](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/farmers-fueled-the-past.-they-can-power-the-future) [![Picture of Mark Scheffler](https://www.mark4wi.info/hs-fs/hubfs/MarkPark800x960.png?width=30&name=MarkPark800x960.png) Mark Scheffler](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/author/mark-scheffler) : 3/14/26, 7:30 AM For more than a century, American farmers have fed the world. In the decades ahead, they can do something just as transformative: power the world’s... [Economy](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/economy) [Environment](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/environment) [Rural America](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/rural-america) [Energy](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/energy) [Farmers](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tag/farmers) [Read More](https://www.mark4wi.info/post/farmers-fueled-the-past.-they-can-power-the-future) Contact the Campaign **Mark Scheffler for Congress** **P.O. Box 1022** **Appleton, WI 54912-1022** [**info@mark4wi.info**](mailto:info@mark4wi.info) We ALL Win, Together ![IMG_3807](https://www.mark4wi.info/hs-fs/hubfs/IMG_3807.jpeg?width=312&height=175&name=IMG_3807.jpeg)   [![CongressLogo576X2164C2](https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/CongressLogo576X2164C2.png)](https://www.mark4wi.info) - Privacy Policy © 2026 Mark Scheffler for Congress [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/markscheffler4congress/)[Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mark4congress2026/)[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-scheffler-1433008/)[YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@Mark4Congress2026) [BlueSky](https://bsky.app/profile/mark4congress.bsky.social) Return to top ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mark Scheffler", "url" : "https://www.mark4wi.info/post/author/mark-scheffler" }, "dateModified" : "2026-04-16T14:16:15.429Z", "datePublished" : "2026-03-11T04:36:02.000Z", "headline" : "The #TinyTax: A Simpler, Fairer Tax System for the Modern Economy", "image" : [ "https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/MichiganStreetfeat.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.mark4wi.info/post/tinytax", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://www.mark4wi.info/hubfs/Congressional4CRetina-1.png" } } } ```