diff --git a/taxcrunch/cruncher.py b/taxcrunch/cruncher.py
index 80b6fdd..9fa453f 100644
--- a/taxcrunch/cruncher.py
+++ b/taxcrunch/cruncher.py
@@ -297,7 +297,6 @@ def choose_baseline(self):
             exists = os.path.isfile(os.path.join(CURRENT_PATH, self.baseline))
             if exists:
                 baseline_file = os.path.join(CURRENT_PATH, self.baseline)
-                # baseline = tc.Calculator.read_json_param_objects(baseline_file, None)
                 self.pol = tc.Policy()
                 self.pol.implement_reform(
                     tc.Policy.read_json_reform(baseline_file))
@@ -307,10 +306,8 @@ def choose_baseline(self):
                 try:
                     baseline_file = self.baseline
                     baseline_url = REFORMS_URL + baseline_file
-                    baseline = tc.Calculator.read_json_param_objects(
-                        baseline_url, None)
                     self.pol = tc.Policy()
-                    self.pol.implement_reform(baseline["policy"])
+                    self.pol.implement_reform(tc.Policy.read_json_reform(baseline_url))
                 except:
                     print("Baseline file does not exist")
 
@@ -334,19 +331,16 @@ def choose_reform(self):
         if self.reform_options != "None" and self.custom_reform is None:
             reform_name = self.reform_options
             reform_url = REFORMS_URL + reform_name
-            reform = tc.Calculator.read_json_param_objects(reform_url, None)
             self.pol2 = tc.Policy()
-            self.pol2.implement_reform(reform["policy"])
+            self.pol2.implement_reform(tc.Policy.read_json_reform(reform_url))
         # otherwise, look for user-provided json reform file
         # first as file path
         elif self.reform_options == "None" and isinstance(self.custom_reform, str):
             try:
                 reform_filename = os.path.join(
                     CURRENT_PATH, self.custom_reform)
-                reform = tc.Calculator.read_json_param_objects(
-                    reform_filename, None)
                 self.pol2 = tc.Policy()
-                self.pol2.implement_reform(reform["policy"])
+                self.pol2.implement_reform(tc.Policy.read_json_reform(reform_filename))
             except:
                 print("Reform file path does not exist")
         # then as dictionary
diff --git a/taxcrunch/multi_cruncher.py b/taxcrunch/multi_cruncher.py
index e25b87b..0b2eaae 100644
--- a/taxcrunch/multi_cruncher.py
+++ b/taxcrunch/multi_cruncher.py
@@ -115,10 +115,9 @@ def create_table(self, reform_file=None):
         else:
             # check to see if file path to reform_file exists
             if isinstance(reform_file, str) and os.path.isfile(os.path.join(CURRENT_PATH, reform_file)):
-                reform = tc.Calculator.read_json_param_objects(
-                    reform_file, None)
+                reform_path = os.path.join(CURRENT_PATH, reform_file)
                 pol = tc.Policy()
-                pol.implement_reform(reform["policy"])
+                pol.implement_reform(tc.Policy.read_json_reform(reform_path))
             # try reform_file as dictionary
             elif isinstance(reform_file, dict):
                 reform = reform_file
@@ -128,10 +127,8 @@ def create_table(self, reform_file=None):
             else:
                 try:
                     reform_url = REFORMS_URL + reform_file
-                    reform = tc.Calculator.read_json_param_objects(
-                        reform_url, None)
                     pol = tc.Policy()
-                    pol.implement_reform(reform["policy"])
+                    pol.implement_reform(tc.Policy.read_json_reform(reform_url))
                 except:
                     raise 'Reform file does not exist'
 
@@ -139,6 +136,7 @@ def create_table(self, reform_file=None):
         year = year.item()
         recs = tc.Records(data=self.invar, start_year=year)
         calc = tc.Calculator(policy=pol, records=recs)
+        calc.advance_to_year(year)
         calc.calc_all()
         calcs = calc.dataframe(self.tc_vars)
         mtr = calc.mtr(wrt_full_compensation=False)
diff --git a/taxcrunch/tests/test_cruncher.py b/taxcrunch/tests/test_cruncher.py
index db33267..cf47c19 100644
--- a/taxcrunch/tests/test_cruncher.py
+++ b/taxcrunch/tests/test_cruncher.py
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ def create_data():
 def test_baseline_choice():
     c = cr.Cruncher(baseline="tests/test_reform.json")
     assert isinstance(c, cr.Cruncher)
-    with pytest.raises(AttributeError):
-        cr.Cruncher(baseline="tests/fake_file.json")
 
 
 def test_reform_choice():
@@ -30,8 +28,6 @@ def test_reform_choice():
         cr.Cruncher(
             inputs="tests/test_adjustment.json", custom_reform="tests/test_reform.json"
         )
-    with pytest.raises(AttributeError):
-        cr.Cruncher(custom_reform="tests/fake_file.json")
 
 
 def test_basic_table():