taxcalc 4.6.2__tar.gz → 4.6.3__tar.gz

{taxcalc-4.6.2 → taxcalc-4.6.3}/Makefile

@@ -49,19 +49,19 @@ rm -f tmp??????-??-#-tmp*
 endef
 
 .PHONY=pytest-cps
-pytest-cps:
+pytest-cps: clean
 	@$(pytest-setup)
 	@cd taxcalc ; pytest -n4 --disable-warnings --durations=0 --durations-min=2 -m "not requires_pufcsv and not pre_release"
 	@$(pytest-cleanup)
 
 .PHONY=pytest
-pytest:
+pytest: clean
 	@$(pytest-setup)
 	@cd taxcalc ; pytest -n4 --disable-warnings --durations=0 --durations-min=2 -m "not pre_release"
 	@$(pytest-cleanup)
 
 .PHONY=pytest-all
-pytest-all:
+pytest-all: clean
 	@$(pytest-setup)
 	@cd taxcalc ; pytest -n4 --disable-warnings --durations=0 --durations-min=2 -m ""
 	@$(pytest-cleanup)

{taxcalc-4.6.2/taxcalc.egg-info → taxcalc-4.6.3}/PKG-INFO

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Metadata-Version: 2.4
 Name: taxcalc
-Version: 4.6.2
+Version: 4.6.3
 Summary: Tax-Calculator
 Home-page: https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator
 Download-URL: https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator

{taxcalc-4.6.2 → taxcalc-4.6.3}/docs/about/releases.md

@@ -4,6 +4,33 @@ Go [here](https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator/pulls?q=is%3Apr+is%3Aclose
 for a complete commit history.
 
 
+2025-06-13 Release 4.6.3
+------------------------
+(last merged pull request is
+[#2915](https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator/pull/2915))
+
+**This is a minor enhancement release.**
+
+**API Changes**
+
+**New Features**
+- Update CLI documentation
+[[#2907](https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator/pull/2907) by Martin Holmer]
+- Add deprecation warnings for planned Tax-Calculator 5.0.0 changes, add two tests, and remove one obsolete test
+[[#2908](https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator/pull/2908),
+ [#2909](https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator/pull/2909), and
+ [#2910](https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator/pull/2910) by Martin Holmer]
+- Add optional `--runid N` CLI option that simplifies output file names
+[[#2912](https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator/pull/2912) by Martin Holmer]
+- Add a default `income_group` definition to the CLI --dumpdb output
+[[#2913](https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator/pull/2913) and
+ [#2914](https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator/pull/2914) by Martin Holmer]
+- Standardize CLI output file name extensions
+[[#2915](https://github.com/PSLmodels/Tax-Calculator/pull/2915) by Martin Holmer]
+
+**Bug Fixes**
+
+
 2025-05-16 Release 4.6.2
 ------------------------
 (last merged pull request is

{taxcalc-4.6.2 → taxcalc-4.6.3}/docs/contributing/RELEASING.md

@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ In the top-level Tax-Calculator directory, do the following:
 
 --> run `python extend_tcja.py > ext.json`  [to update reforms/ext.json]
 
---> run `make cstest`  [to make confirm project coding style is being followed]
+--> run `make cstest`  [to confirm project coding style is being followed]
 
 --> run `make pytest-all`  [or `pytest -m pre_release -n4` in taxcalc subdir]
 

{taxcalc-4.6.2 → taxcalc-4.6.3}/docs/guide/cli.md

@@ -412,10 +412,7 @@ exploratory data analysis.
 % tc cps.csv 2024 --reform ref3.json --dumpdb
 Read input data for 2014; input data were extrapolated to 2024
 Write dump output to sqlite3 database file cps-24-#-ref3-#.db
-Execution time is 35.8 seconds
-Read input data for 2014; input data were extrapolated to 2025
-Write dump output to sqlite3 database file cps-25-#-ref3-#.db
-Execution time is 35.1 seconds
+Execution time is 35.6 seconds
 
 % sqlite3 cps-24-#-ref3-#.db
 SQLite version 3.39.5 2022-10-14 20:58:05
@@ -531,6 +528,9 @@ to generate such budget-window results is to use the CLI tool's
 extend-TCJA-beyond-2025 reform, then we can execute the following run:
 
 ```
+% tc --version
+Tax-Calculator 4.6.2 on Python 3.12
+
 % tc ../tmd.csv 2026 --numyears 10 --reform ext.json --tables
 Read input data for 2021; input data were extrapolated to 2026
 Write tabular output to file tmd-26-#-ext-#-tables.text
@@ -552,7 +552,7 @@ Advance input data and policy to 2034
 Write tabular output to file tmd-34-#-ext-#-tables.text
 Advance input data and policy to 2035
 Write tabular output to file tmd-35-#-ext-#-tables.text
-Execution time is 60.9 seconds
+Execution time is 55.6 seconds
 ```
 
 [PR
@@ -561,6 +561,52 @@ discusses how much faster this is relative to executing ten separate
 `tc` runs, and also shows how to tabulate the ten-year aggregate
 reform result from the files generated by this run.
 
+Because the reform-induced change in aggregate federal income tax
+liability is located on the last row of each tables output file in the
+fourth column, we can look at the ten-year results quickly:
+
+```
+% tail -1 tmd-??-*tables.text
+==> tmd-26-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
+ A   192.41   20828.3    -284.0       0.0       0.0    -284.0
+
+==> tmd-27-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
+ A   193.77   21613.4    -291.7       0.0       0.0    -291.7
+
+==> tmd-28-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
+ A   194.72   22404.7    -299.5       0.0       0.0    -299.5
+
+==> tmd-29-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
+ A   195.66   23243.3    -291.8       0.0       0.0    -291.8
+
+==> tmd-30-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
+ A   196.58   24115.1    -299.8       0.0       0.0    -299.8
+
+==> tmd-31-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
+ A   197.48   25020.0    -307.8       0.0       0.0    -307.8
+
+==> tmd-32-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
+ A   198.35   25952.7    -315.7       0.0       0.0    -315.7
+
+==> tmd-33-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
+ A   199.21   26905.4    -323.6       0.0       0.0    -323.6
+
+==> tmd-34-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
+ A   200.03   27878.9    -331.6       0.0       0.0    -331.6
+
+==> tmd-35-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
+ A   200.83   28883.0    -339.6       0.0       0.0    -339.6
+```
+
+A simple way to sum up the ten annual changes is to use the [`awk`
+program](https://www.gnu.org/software/gawk/manual/gawk.html), which
+could be called `gawk` or `gawk.exe` on your computer, as follows:
+
+```
+% tail -1 tmd-??-*tables.text | awk '$1~/A/{n++;c+=$4}END{print n,c}'
+10 -3085.1
+```
+
 More examples of analyzing different versions of the TCJA after 2025
 are available in this
 [document](https://taxcalc.pslmodels.org/usage/tcja_after_2025.html).

{taxcalc-4.6.2 → taxcalc-4.6.3}/docs/index.md

@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ cross-model validation work with NBER's TAXSIM-35 model is described
 
 ## Latest release
 
-{doc}`4.6.2 (2025-05-16) <about/releases>`
+{doc}`4.6.3 (2025-06-13) <about/releases>`
 
 If you are already using Tax-Calculator, upgrade using the following command:
 ```

{taxcalc-4.6.2 → taxcalc-4.6.3}/docs/usage/tcja_after_2025.md

@@ -39,16 +39,17 @@ reform-minus-baseline differences by income decile and in aggregate.
 
 Nobody knows how the 2025 tax legislation will turn out, so the idea
 of this document is to illustrate how to use the Tax-Calculator CLI
-tool to analyze some of the TCJA revisions that are being reported in
+tool to analyze some of the TCJA revisions that were being reported in
 the press in early May 2025.  The basic legislative goal is to extend
 TCJA beyond 2025, but there is discussion of a number of **revisions**
 to the basic extension.  The revisions being discussed include, but
 are not limited to, raising the SALT deduction cap, making social
 security benefits nontaxable, and liberalizing the child tax credit.
-(Given the nature of the rules under which the legislation is being
-developed, no changes in social security financing can be made, so
-there is discussion of a higher elderly/disability standard deduction
-amount to proxy the nontaxable social security benefits revision.)
+(Given the nature of the reconciliation rules under which the
+legislation is being developed, no changes in social security
+financing can be made, so there is discussion of a higher
+elderly/disability standard deduction amount to proxy the nontaxable
+social security benefits revision.)
 These revisions all cause reductions in income tax revenue, so there
 is also discussion about **enhancements** to the extended-TCJA policy
 that would raise revenue to pay for revisions.  The enhancement
@@ -62,10 +63,10 @@ The analysis examples below focus on the following policy scenarios:
 3. a TCJA extension with the higher elderly/disabled standard deduction revision
 4. a TCJA extension with the higher elderly/disabled standard deduction revision and the new top tax bracket enhancement
 
-All the examples use Tax-Calculator 4.6.1 version.
+All the examples use Tax-Calculator 4.6.2 version.
 ```
 % tc --version
-Tax-Calculator 4.6.1 on Python 3.12
+Tax-Calculator 4.6.2 on Python 3.12
 ```
 
 The examples below were done on an ancient Mac with an old Intel
@@ -85,25 +86,25 @@ this document for more information on `ext.json` contents.
 % tc ../tmd.csv 2026 --numyears 10 --reform ext.json --exact --tables
 Read input data for 2021; input data were extrapolated to 2026
 Write tabular output to file tmd-26-#-ext-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2027
+Advance input data and policy to 2027
 Write tabular output to file tmd-27-#-ext-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2028
+Advance input data and policy to 2028
 Write tabular output to file tmd-28-#-ext-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2029
+Advance input data and policy to 2029
 Write tabular output to file tmd-29-#-ext-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2030
+Advance input data and policy to 2030
 Write tabular output to file tmd-30-#-ext-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2031
+Advance input data and policy to 2031
 Write tabular output to file tmd-31-#-ext-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2032
+Advance input data and policy to 2032
 Write tabular output to file tmd-32-#-ext-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2033
+Advance input data and policy to 2033
 Write tabular output to file tmd-33-#-ext-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2034
+Advance input data and policy to 2034
 Write tabular output to file tmd-34-#-ext-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2035
+Advance input data and policy to 2035
 Write tabular output to file tmd-35-#-ext-#-tables.text
-Execution time is 58.4 seconds
+Execution time is 56.8 seconds
 ```
 
 Because the aggregate change in taxes is displayed on the last line of
@@ -113,22 +114,22 @@ this:
 ```
 % tail -1 tmd-??-#-ext-#-tables.text
 ==> tmd-26-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
- A   192.41   20828.3    -273.1       0.0       0.0    -273.1
+ A   192.41   20828.3    -284.1       0.0       0.0    -284.1
 
 ==> tmd-27-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
- A   193.77   21613.4    -280.5       0.0       0.0    -280.5
+ A   193.77   21613.4    -291.8       0.0       0.0    -291.8
 
 ==> tmd-28-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
- A   194.72   22404.7    -288.1       0.0       0.0    -288.1
+ A   194.72   22404.7    -299.6       0.0       0.0    -299.6
 
 ==> tmd-29-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
- A   195.66   23243.3    -280.3       0.0       0.0    -280.3
+ A   195.66   23243.3    -291.9       0.0       0.0    -291.9
 
 ==> tmd-30-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
- A   196.58   24115.1    -288.1       0.0       0.0    -288.1
+ A   196.58   24115.1    -299.9       0.0       0.0    -299.9
 
 ==> tmd-31-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
- A   197.48   25020.0    -296.0       0.0       0.0    -296.0
+ A   197.48   25020.0    -307.9       0.0       0.0    -307.9
 
 ==> tmd-32-#-ext-#-tables.text <==
  A   198.35   25952.7    -315.9       0.0       0.0    -315.9
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ be tabulated this way:
 
 ```
 % tail -1 tmd-??-#-ext-#-tables.text | awk '$1~/A/{n++;c+=$4}END{print n,c}'
-10 -3017.2
+10 -3086.3
 ```
 
 
@@ -176,10 +177,10 @@ Write tabular output to file tmd-26-ext-ext+no_ssben_tax-#-tables.text
 Execution time is 33.4 seconds
 
 % tail -1 tmd-26-ext-ext+no_ssben_tax-#-tables.text
- A   192.41   20828.3    -110.6       0.0       0.0    -110.6
+ A   192.41   20828.3    -110.7       0.0       0.0    -110.7
 ```
 
-So, this reform reduces federal income tax liability by $110.6 billion in
+So, this reform reduces federal income tax liability by $110.7 billion in
 2026.
 
 
@@ -200,27 +201,27 @@ statuses produces a reasonable approximation of the effects of the
 % tc ../tmd.csv 2026 --baseline ext.json --reform ext.json+higher_aged_std.json --exact --tables
 Read input data for 2021; input data were extrapolated to 2026
 Write tabular output to file tmd-26-ext-ext+higher_aged_std-#-tables.text
-Execution time is 34.0 seconds
+Execution time is 32.4 seconds
 
 % diff tmd-26-ext-ext+higher_aged_std-#-tables.text tmd-26-ext-ext+no_ssben_tax-#-tables.text | tail -18
 22,29c22,29
-<  3    19.24     629.1      -0.3       0.0       0.0      -0.3
+<  3    19.24     629.1      -0.4       0.0       0.0      -0.4
 <  4    19.24     876.9      -1.9       0.0       0.0      -1.9
-<  5    19.24    1173.0      -6.8       0.0       0.0      -6.8
-<  6    19.25    1581.6     -13.3       0.0       0.0     -13.3
+<  5    19.24    1173.0      -6.9       0.0       0.0      -6.9
+<  6    19.25    1581.6     -13.4       0.0       0.0     -13.4
 <  7    19.24    2191.6     -25.6       0.0       0.0     -25.6
 <  8    19.24    3238.1     -33.2       0.0       0.0     -33.2
 <  9    19.24   10787.1     -29.5       0.0       0.0     -29.5
-<  A   192.41   20828.3    -110.9       0.0       0.0    -110.9
+<  A   192.41   20828.3    -111.1       0.0       0.0    -111.1
 ---
 >  3    19.24     629.1      -0.1       0.0       0.0      -0.1
 >  4    19.24     876.9      -1.0       0.0       0.0      -1.0
->  5    19.24    1173.0      -4.8       0.0       0.0      -4.8
->  6    19.25    1581.6     -11.8       0.0       0.0     -11.8
+>  5    19.24    1173.0      -4.9       0.0       0.0      -4.9
+>  6    19.25    1581.6     -11.9       0.0       0.0     -11.9
 >  7    19.24    2191.6     -21.3       0.0       0.0     -21.3
 >  8    19.24    3238.1     -29.9       0.0       0.0     -29.9
 >  9    19.24   10787.1     -41.5       0.0       0.0     -41.5
->  A   192.41   20828.3    -110.6       0.0       0.0    -110.6
+>  A   192.41   20828.3    -110.7       0.0       0.0    -110.7
 ```
 
 
@@ -245,9 +246,9 @@ Write tabular output to file tmd-26-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_
 Write graphical output to file tmd-26-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-pch.html
 Write graphical output to file tmd-26-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-atr.html
 Write graphical output to file tmd-26-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-mtr.html
-Execution time is 40.9 seconds
+Execution time is 39.8 seconds
 
-tail -14 tmd-26-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
+% tail -14 tmd-26-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
 Weighted Tax Differences by Baseline Expanded-Income Decile
     Returns    ExpInc    IncTax    PayTax     LSTax    AllTax
        (#m)      ($b)      ($b)      ($b)      ($b)      ($b)
@@ -284,25 +285,25 @@ Here are the ten-year results for this run:
 % tc ../tmd.csv 2026 --numyears 10 --baseline ext.json+higher_aged_std.json --reform ext.json+higher_aged_std.json+new_top_bracket.json --exact --tables
 Read input data for 2021; input data were extrapolated to 2026
 Write tabular output to file tmd-26-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2027
+Advance input data and policy to 2027
 Write tabular output to file tmd-27-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2028
+Advance input data and policy to 2028
 Write tabular output to file tmd-28-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2029
+Advance input data and policy to 2029
 Write tabular output to file tmd-29-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2030
+Advance input data and policy to 2030
 Write tabular output to file tmd-30-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2031
+Advance input data and policy to 2031
 Write tabular output to file tmd-31-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2032
+Advance input data and policy to 2032
 Write tabular output to file tmd-32-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2033
+Advance input data and policy to 2033
 Write tabular output to file tmd-33-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2034
+Advance input data and policy to 2034
 Write tabular output to file tmd-34-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
-Advance input data and  policy to 2035
+Advance input data and policy to 2035
 Write tabular output to file tmd-35-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text
-Execution time is 58.2 seconds
+Execution time is 57.1 seconds
 
 % tail -1 tmd-??-ext+higher_aged_std-ext+higher_aged_std+new_top_bracket-#-tables.text | awk '$1~/A/{n++;c+=$4}END{print n,c}'
 10 187.9

{taxcalc-4.6.2 → taxcalc-4.6.3}/setup.py

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from setuptools import setup
 with open("README.md", "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
     longdesc = f.read()
 
-VERSION = "4.6.2"
+VERSION = "4.6.3"
 
 config = {
     "description": "Tax-Calculator",

{taxcalc-4.6.2 → taxcalc-4.6.3}/taxcalc/__init__.py

@@ -14,6 +14,6 @@ from taxcalc.taxcalcio import *
 from taxcalc.utils import *
 from taxcalc.cli import *
 
-__version__ = '4.6.2'
+__version__ = '4.6.3'
 __min_python3_version__ = 10
 __max_python3_version__ = 12

{taxcalc-4.6.2 → taxcalc-4.6.3}/taxcalc/cli/tc.py

@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ def cli_tc_main():
         ),
         (
             '          '
-            '[--silent] [--test] [--version] [--usage]'
+            '[--runid N] [--silent] [--test] [--version] [--usage]'
         )
     )
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
@@ -75,20 +75,20 @@ def cli_tc_main():
     parser.add_argument('--baseline',
                         help=('BASELINE is name of optional JSON reform file. '
                               'A compound reform can be specified using 2+ '
-                              'file names separated by plus (+) character(s). '
+                              'file names connected by plus (+) character(s). '
                               'No --baseline implies baseline policy is '
                               'current-law policy.'),
                         default=None)
     parser.add_argument('--reform',
                         help=('REFORM is name of optional JSON reform file. '
                               'A compound reform can be specified using 2+ '
-                              'file names separated by plus (+) character(s). '
+                              'file names connected by plus (+) character(s). '
                               'No --reform implies reform policy is '
                               'current-law policy).'),
                         default=None)
     parser.add_argument('--assump',
                         help=('ASSUMP is name of optional JSON economic '
-                              'assumptions file.  No --assump implies use '
+                              'assumptions file. No --assump implies use '
                               'of no customized assumptions.'),
                         default=None)
     parser.add_argument('--exact',
@@ -125,12 +125,19 @@ def cli_tc_main():
     parser.add_argument('--dumpvars',
                         help=('DUMPVARS is name of optional file containing a '
                               'space-delimited list of variables to include '
-                              'in the dump database.  No --dumpvars '
-                              'implies a minimal set of variables.  Valid '
-                              'variable names include all variables in the '
+                              'in the dump database. No --dumpvars implies '
+                              'a minimal set of variables.  Valid variable '
+                              'names include all variables in the '
                               'records_variables.json file plus mtr_itax and '
                               'mtr_ptax (MTRs wrt taxpayer earnings).'),
                         default=None)
+    parser.add_argument('--runid', metavar='N',
+                        help=('N is a positive integer run id that is used '
+                              'to construct simpler output file names. '
+                              'No --runid implies legacy output file names '
+                              'are used.'),
+                        type=int,
+                        default=0)
     parser.add_argument('--silent',
                         help=('optional flag that suppresses messages about '
                               'input and output actions.'),
@@ -153,16 +160,23 @@ def cli_tc_main():
                         default=False,
                         action="store_true")
     args = parser.parse_args()
+    using_error_file = args.silent and args.runid != 0
+    efilename = f'run{args.runid}.errors'
     # check Python version
     pyv = sys.version_info
     pymin = tc.__min_python3_version__
     pymax = tc.__max_python3_version__
     if pyv[0] != 3 or pyv[1] < pymin or pyv[1] > pymax:  # pragma: no cover
         pyreq = f'at least Python 3.{pymin} and at most Python 3.{pymax}'
-        sys.stderr.write(
+        msg = (
             f'ERROR: Tax-Calculator requires {pyreq}\n'
             f'       but Python {pyv[0]}.{pyv[1]} is installed\n'
         )
+        if using_error_file:
+            with open(efilename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as efile:
+                efile.write(msg)
+        else:
+            sys.stderr.write(msg)
         return 1
     # show Tax-Calculator version and quit if --version option is specified
     if args.version:
@@ -186,20 +200,32 @@ def cli_tc_main():
     # check taxyear value
     if taxyear > tc.Policy.LAST_BUDGET_YEAR:
         msg = f'ERROR: TAXYEAR is greater than {tc.Policy.LAST_BUDGET_YEAR}\n'
-        sys.stderr.write(msg)
-        sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
+        if using_error_file:
+            with open(efilename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as efile:
+                efile.write(msg)
+        else:
+            sys.stderr.write(msg)
+            sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
         return 1
     # check numyears value
     if args.numyears < 1:
         msg = 'ERROR: --numyears parameter N is less than one\n'
-        sys.stderr.write(msg)
-        sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
+        if using_error_file:
+            with open(efilename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as efile:
+                efile.write(msg)
+        else:
+            sys.stderr.write(msg)
+            sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
         return 1
     max_numyears = tc.Policy.LAST_BUDGET_YEAR - taxyear + 1
     if args.numyears > max_numyears:
         msg = f'ERROR: --numyears parameter N is greater than {max_numyears}\n'
-        sys.stderr.write(msg)
-        sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
+        if using_error_file:
+            with open(efilename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as efile:
+                efile.write(msg)
+        else:
+            sys.stderr.write(msg)
+            sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
         return 1
     # specify if aging input data
     aging_data = (
@@ -210,8 +236,12 @@ def cli_tc_main():
     # check args.dumpdb and args.dumpvars consistency
     if not args.dumpdb and args.dumpvars:
         msg = 'ERROR: DUMPVARS file specified without --dumpdb option\n'
-        sys.stderr.write(msg)
-        sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
+        if using_error_file:
+            with open(efilename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as efile:
+                efile.write(msg)
+        else:
+            sys.stderr.write(msg)
+            sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
         return 1
     # specify dumpvars_str from args.dumpvars file
     dumpvars_str = ''
@@ -221,9 +251,22 @@ def cli_tc_main():
                 dumpvars_str = dfile.read()
         else:
             msg = f'ERROR: DUMPVARS file {args.dumpvars} does not exist\n'
+            if using_error_file:
+                with open(efilename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as efile:
+                    efile.write(msg)
+            else:
+                sys.stderr.write(msg)
+                sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
+            return 1
+    if args.runid < 0:
+        msg = 'ERROR: --runid parameter N is less than zero\n'
+        if using_error_file:
+            with open(efilename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as efile:
+                efile.write(msg)
+        else:
             sys.stderr.write(msg)
             sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
-            return 1
+        return 1
     # do calculations for taxyear
     # ... initialize TaxCalcIO object for taxyear
     tcio = tc.TaxCalcIO(
@@ -232,14 +275,19 @@ def cli_tc_main():
         baseline=args.baseline,
         reform=args.reform,
         assump=args.assump,
+        runid=args.runid,
         silent=args.silent,
     )
     if tcio.errmsg:
-        if tcio.errmsg.endswith('\n'):
-            sys.stderr.write(tcio.errmsg)
+        msg = tcio.errmsg
+        if not msg.endswith('\n'):
+            msg += '\n'
+        if using_error_file:
+            with open(efilename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as efile:
+                efile.write(msg)
         else:
-            sys.stderr.write(tcio.errmsg + '\n')
-        sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
+            sys.stderr.write(msg)
+            sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
         return 1
     tcio.init(
         input_data=inputfn,
@@ -251,19 +299,27 @@ def cli_tc_main():
         exact_calculations=args.exact,
     )
     if tcio.errmsg:
-        if tcio.errmsg.endswith('\n'):
-            sys.stderr.write(tcio.errmsg)
+        msg = tcio.errmsg
+        if not msg.endswith('\n'):
+            msg += '\n'
+        if using_error_file:
+            with open(efilename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as efile:
+                efile.write(msg)
         else:
-            sys.stderr.write(tcio.errmsg + '\n')
-        sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
+            sys.stderr.write(msg)
+            sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
         return 1
     # ... conduct tax analysis for taxyear
     dumpvars_list = tcio.dump_variables(dumpvars_str)
     if tcio.errmsg:
-        if tcio.errmsg.endswith('\n'):
-            sys.stderr.write(tcio.errmsg)
+        msg = tcio.errmsg
+        if not msg.endswith('\n'):
+            msg += '\n'
+        if using_error_file:
+            with open(efilename, 'w', encoding='utf-8') as efile:
+                efile.write(msg)
         else:
-            sys.stderr.write(tcio.errmsg + '\n')
+            sys.stderr.write(msg)
             sys.stderr.write('USAGE: tc --help\n')
         return 1
     tcio.analyze(
@@ -313,7 +369,7 @@ EXPECTED_TEST_OUTPUT = (
     '1|131.88\n'
     '2|28879.00\n'
 )
-TEST_DUMPDB_FILENAME = f'test-{str(TEST_TAXYEAR)[2:]}-#-#-#.db'
+TEST_DUMPDB_FILENAME = f'test-{str(TEST_TAXYEAR)[2:]}-#-#-#.dumpdb'
 TEST_SQLITE_QUERY = """
 SELECT
   RECID           AS id,