Promoting public retirement savings accounts during tax filing: evidence from field experiments

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Stephen Roll ◽  
Sam Bufe ◽  
Olga Kondratjeva ◽  
Michal Grinstein-Weiss
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Income Tax ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Retirement Savings ◽  
Persuasive Messages ◽  
Savings Accounts ◽  
Treasury Department ◽  
The U.S ◽  
Tax Filing

Abstract In 2015, the U.S. Treasury Department launched myRA, a no-fee retirement account designed for people who lacked employer-sponsored retirement options. We report findings from two behavioral field experiments intended to motivate interest in using the tax refund to open and fund myRAs directly through the tax-filing process. These experiments, administered to more than 100,000 low-income tax filers in 2016, embedded persuasive messages in emails sent to filers and directly within online tax-filing software. We find that interest in myRA was generally very low, although interest and enrollment intentions varied depending on the framing of the program's benefits.

scholarly journals Rationalizing the Canadian Income Tax System

2019 ◽  
pp. 643-666
Author(s):  
Robin Boadway
Keyword(s):  
Tax Policy ◽  
Income Tax ◽  
Retirement Savings ◽  
Corporate Tax ◽  
Tax Reforms ◽  
Tax System ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Savings Accounts ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Equity And Efficiency

The Canadian tax system is based on principles informed by the Carter report, and these principles have been challenged as circumstances have changed and ideas about tax policy have evolved. The personal tax system pays only lip service to the comprehensive income tax ideal, and the corporate tax is designed as a complement to a comprehensive tax system that does not exist. Canadian policy makers face the unprecedented challenges of (1) globalization, (2) an economy increasingly based on services and technology, and (3) growing inequality of income, wealth, and opportunity. Modern principles of tax design are reflected in recent tax reform proposals recommended by the Mirrlees review in the United Kingdom. Major tax reforms have been undertaken in other member countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Some piecemeal innovations in tax policy have been implemented in Canada, such as registered retirement savings plans, tax-free savings accounts, the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax, and refundable tax credits, but these measures have not been coordinated. The corporate tax structure has changed only modestly. This paper explores options for feasible reform of the Canadian tax system that might enhance equity and efficiency.

scholarly journals Promoting Public Retirement Savings Accounts during Tax Filing: Evidence from a Field Experiment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen Roll ◽  
Michal Grinstein-Weiss ◽  
Olga Kondratjeva ◽  
Sam Bufe
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Retirement Savings ◽  
Savings Accounts ◽  
Tax Filing

Strengthening the U.S. Retirement Savings System

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nam Dinh Pham ◽  
Alexander J. Triantis
Keyword(s):  
Retirement Savings ◽  
The U.S

scholarly journals Active vs. Passive Decisions and Crowd-Out in Retirement Savings Accounts: Evidence from Denmark *

2014 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 1141-1219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raj Chetty ◽  
John N. Friedman ◽  
Søren Leth-Petersen ◽  
Torben Heien Nielsen ◽  
Tore Olsen
Keyword(s):  
Government Expenditure ◽  
Wealth Accumulation ◽  
Retirement Savings ◽  
Total Saving ◽  
Savings Accounts ◽  
Retirement Accounts ◽  
Tax Subsidies ◽  
Crowd Out ◽  
Savings Rates

Abstract Using 41 million observations on savings for the population of Denmark, we show that the effects of retirement savings policies on wealth accumulation depend on whether they change savings rates by active or passive choice. Subsidies for retirement accounts, which rely on individuals to take an action to raise savings, primarily induce individuals to shift assets from taxable accounts to retirement accounts. We estimate that each $1 of government expenditure on subsidies increases total saving by only 1 cent. In contrast, policies that raise retirement contributions if individuals take no action—such as automatic employer contributions to retirement accounts—increase wealth accumulation substantially. We estimate that approximately 15% of individuals are “active savers” who respond to tax subsidies primarily by shifting assets across accounts; 85% of individuals are “passive savers” who are unresponsive to subsidies but are instead heavily influenced by automatic contributions made on their behalf. Active savers tend to be wealthier and more financially sophisticated. We conclude that automatic contributions are more effective at increasing savings rates than subsidies for three reasons: (i) subsidies induce relatively few individuals to respond, (ii) they generate substantial crowd-out conditional on response, and (iii) they do not increase the savings of passive individuals, who are least prepared for retirement.

The Effect of Tax Reform on the Dairy Farmer

1973 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-88
Author(s):  
E.L. LaDue ◽  
W.R. Bryant
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Income Tax ◽  
Tax Reform ◽  
Capital Gains ◽  
Dairy Farmer ◽  
Competitive Disadvantage ◽  
Tax Loss ◽  
Tax Accounting

Recent Congressional testimony has focused on the desirability of eliminating certain income tax “preferences” that are important in agriculture. Specifically, separate proposals have urged that capital gains treatment pertaining to livestock, vineyards and orchards be eliminated and that the cash method of tax accounting no longer be permitted. The justification for these proposals is based on the continued activity of wealthy individuals in tax loss or tax sheltered farming, despite provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1969 to limit such ventures. Furthermore, it is argued that these tax preferences result in a greater subsidy to the high tax bracket individual than low tax bracket individual and thus place low income bonafide farmers at a competitive disadvantage which could force them out of business.

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