Ben Blatt

Reporter, The Upshot at The New York Times

If this profile isn't enough reading for you try my new book Nabokov's Favorite Word Is Mauve https://t.co/uoxoH4bNDe or my old book https://t.co/UyxGYvDIPB bbblatt AT gmail

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Articles

Why IRS Audits, Already at Their Lowest Levels, May Fall Further

1 week ago | rethinking65.com | Ben Blatt

The Internal Revenue Service’s audit rate has been lower this decade than in most taxpayers’ lifetimes, a New York Times analysis shows, and if the Trump administration follows through with plans to cut the agency’s workforce, audits will almost certainly become even rarer. The most recent IRS data shows the audit rate of individual taxpayers has decreased by about two-thirds since 2010. Exact comparisons of audit rates are challenging because the IRS has changed its definitions over time.
I.R.S. Audits Are at a Record Low. Trump's Cuts Could Make Them Even Rarer.

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Ben Blatt

The Biden plan to increase tax revenue through more enforcement is being reversed. That means audits will be even rarer. The Internal Revenue Service's audit rate has been lower this decade than in most taxpayers' lifetimes, a New York Times analysis shows, and if the Trump administration follows through with plans to cut the agency's work force, audits will almost certainly become even rarer.
Why Small Changes Meant Big Differences in Tariff Rates, From Bermuda to Switzerland

2 weeks ago | news.nestia.com | Ben Blatt |Francesca Paris |Ethan Singer

Why Small Changes Meant Big Differences in Tariff Rates, From Bermuda to Switzerland Why Small Changes Meant Big Differences in Tariff Rates, From Bermuda to Switzerland By Ben Blatt , Francesca Paris and Ethan Singer April 4, 2025 …… Read full article on The New York Times-Business America Trade
How the Math Affects Over 100 Countries

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Ben Blatt |Francesca Paris |Ethan Singer

President Trump's new tariffs on more than 100 countries used the same simple formula to calculate the rate for each of them. The formula's central value is the trade deficit, the difference between imports and exports between each country and the United States, for the year 2024. The slightly more detailed math looks like this:Mr. Trump has said these tariffs will reduce trade imbalances and level the international playing field.
The Online Casinos That Can Operate as Long as They Say They Aren’t Casinos

3 weeks ago | rethinking65.com | Ben Blatt

In most states, playing slot machines online for real money is illegal. But a group of companies known as sweepstakes casinos has found a way around the law to let users play classic casino games online. Their revenues have grown 10-fold in the past five years, and they’re now large enough to feature ads with Ryan Seacrest, Drake and Michael Phelps. Only recently have states such as New York and Maryland contemplated restricting them, with billions of tax dollars at stake.
The Online Casinos That Can Operate as Long as They Say They Aren't Actually Casinos

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Ben Blatt

In most states, playing slot machines online for real money is illegal. But a group of companies known as sweepstakes casinos has found a way around the law to let users play classic casino games online. Their revenues have grown 10-fold in the last five years, and they're now large enough to feature ads with Ryan Seacrest, Drake and Michael Phelps. Only recently have states like New York and Maryland contemplated restricting them, with billions of tax dollars at stake.
So, You Want to Get Rid of the Penny. Do You Have a Plan for the Nickel?

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Ben Blatt

President Trump recently ordered the U.S. Mint to stop producing pennies, for a simple-sounding reason. Each penny, he said, has "literally cost us more than 2 cents."He's right. Since 2006, the government has spent more money minting pennies than those pennies have been worth. The production costs of coins can be confusing. A nickel is worth half as much as a dime but costs twice as much to mint.
Why Banks May Be Hoping You’re Not Paying Attention

2 months ago | miamiherald.com | Ben Blatt

(The Upshot)The median American household has a combined balance of $10,000 in its checking and savings accounts, according to a census estimate. For the last few years, anyone keeping this amount in a high-yield savings account has earned close to 4% annual interest, or about $400 a year. But the average savings account interest rate is closer to 0.4%. And the nation’s three largest banks -- Bank of America, Chase and Wells Fargo -- offer 0.01% on their standard savings accounts.
Why Banks May Be Hoping You're Not Paying Attention

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Ben Blatt

The median American household has a combined balance of $10,000 in its checking and savings accounts, according to a census estimate. For the last few years, anyone keeping this amount in a high-yield savings account has earned close to 4 percent annual interest, or about $400 a year. But the average savings account interest rate is closer to 0.4 percent. And the nation's three largest banks - Bank of America, Chase and Wells Fargo - offer 0.01 percent on their standard savings accounts.
It’s Not Your Imagination. Airlines Are Padding Flight Times.

Nov 29, 2024 | rethinking65.com | Ben Blatt

The average flight today from Kennedy Airport to LAX is slower than it was in 1995 in every conceivable way. Planes face longer delays leaving the gate; take more time taxiing before taking off; and spend more time in the air. But paradoxically, even with an average rise in travel time of 18 minutes, the percentage of flights on this route arriving after the scheduled arrival time has decreased. In 1995, the arrivals were behind schedule 51% of the time; today it’s just 37%.