is the Taxer function doing what is desired?

[talumbau]

It seems like the Taxer function is doing quite a bit of logical work to set variable _a5. Then, it sets the value of _a6 based on some logical conditions and the values _a3 and _a5. Immediately after this though, there is the line:

_a6 = inc_in

The computed results (inc_out) only involve _a6 and other values from outside the function, so none of the work for variables _a1 - _a5 is used. I commented out that code and got the same answer. Am I missing something?

https://github.com/OpenSourcePolicyCenter/Tax-Calculator/blob/master/translation.py#L1738-L1740

[iliakur]

@SameerSarkar is the best person to ask, since that line is missing from previous translations.

That function in general could do with some refactoring for an increase in speed and legibility.

[talumbau]

Still looking for input from @SameerSarkar on this issue.

[talumbau]

I'm hesitant to remove the code that uses _a1 though_a5 in the Taxer function, but it looks like that might be the right answer.

[iliakur]

I checked the SAS code and it appears _a1-_a5 are in fact used there. Based on a cursory read (during lunch break), I think they're just an optional logical branch if one's income satisfies certain conditions.

Considering this and that @SameerSarkar appears to have gone AWOL, my call would be to a) keep these lines b) translate them into vanilla python so that it's easier to figure out where and how they fit in.
I can totally help with the latter, so let me know!

[feenberg]

There is a lot of code in taxer to round the result in the same way that the the tax tables in the 1040 book are rounded. We don't need that in the long run, but it is useful to keep it while we are comparing with the withc data. I am virtually certain that taxer is doing the right thing - it has been compared to millions of actual returns at SOI, but the syntax may be limited by SAS, and it might look better as a loop rather than a series of conditional statements.

dan

[MattHJensen]

Closing.