system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
What are the alternative methods of funding a UBI besides a VAT tax?

Are there any proposals for funding UBI through an alternative revenue source in the USA? What are their benefits and drawbacks opposed to higher VAT?
gpt
Depends on the scope and scale of UBI program. Does it replace other programs? What percentage of GDP does the program entail? Does the UBI intend to be part of a massive redistribution program? 

There are a few options.

1. Wealth tax - potential of double taxing but a safe source to tax if the general allowance is high enough
2. Land Tax - encourages improvement on the land
3. Higher Income Taxes - if the UBI program is aimed at redistribution of wealth than additional income taxes should be structured as much as possible as a tax on inequality than on income itself (if income taxes really work well they don't have any deductions/credits and tax ALL forms of income, incentives can be seperate from the tax system and operate similarly to UBI 
4. VAT/sales tax - acts sort of like a pigouvian redistribution tax, the UBI would replace a certain percentage of taxes paid on consumption (poorer folks - 150% of taxes paid, richer folks - 50% of taxes paid)
5. Excise Taxes - if the idea is that UBI distributes money to where it can have the greatest impact than tax the spending that has the worse impact i.e petrol, overuse of resources, carbon, alcohol, cigarettes, cars, corporate stock buybacks, fines, ect
6. Debt (below the steady state rate)
7. Corporate - i really dont think this would be a good idea but possible
8. A combination of all of them!

In general, levying new taxes just to pay for a new program is not a smart way to think about sound public policy. Governments should ideally tax to the point where the dollars being taken out of the economy have less return/use than potential government spending. The government would then spend that sum plus debt at a steady state level on the most advantageous programs which might include UBI or UBI like programs. The more efficient the private spending, the less need for taxes.