Profit Shifting Despite Symmetric Tax Rates? A Note on the Role of Tax Enforcement

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Baumann ◽  
Tim Friehe
Keyword(s):  
Tax Rates ◽  
Profit Shifting ◽  
Tax Enforcement

Do IRS Audits Deter Corporate Tax Avoidance?

2012 ◽  
Vol 87 (5) ◽  
pp. 1603-1639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey L. Hoopes ◽  
Devan Mescall ◽  
Jeffrey A. Pittman
Keyword(s):  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Coefficient Estimates ◽  
Corporate Tax ◽  
Effective Tax Rates ◽  
Tax Enforcement ◽  
Public Firms ◽  
Large Samples ◽  
Percentage Points

ABSTRACT We extend research on the determinants of corporate tax avoidance to include the role of Internal Revenue Service (IRS) monitoring. Our evidence from large samples implies that U.S. public firms undertake less aggressive tax positions when tax enforcement is stricter. Reflecting its first-order economic impact on firms, our coefficient estimates imply that raising the probability of an IRS audit from 19 percent (the 25th percentile in our data) to 37 percent (the 75th percentile) increases their cash effective tax rates, on average, by nearly two percentage points, which amounts to a 7 percent increase in cash effective tax rates. These results are robust to controlling for firm size and time, which determine our primary proxy for IRS enforcement, in different ways; specifying several alternative dependent and test variables; and confronting potential endogeneity with instrumental variables and panel data estimations, among other techniques. JEL Classifications: M40; G34; G32; H25.

scholarly journals Assessing impact of base erosion and profit shifting on performance of subsidiaries of multinational corporations in Baltic countries

Equilibrium ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-293
Author(s):  
Egidijus Kundelis ◽  
Renata Legenzova
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Empirical Research ◽  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Company Performance ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Profit Shifting ◽  
Baltic Countries ◽  
The Baltic ◽  
The Impact

Research background: The problem of base erosion and profit shifting by multi-national corporations has been debated from different perspectives because of its multiple impact on the key actors in the economy. Studies refer to its positive impact on companies via corporate taxes saved, but its negative impact on governments via reduced tax collection. A number of empirical studies conducted in different countries support the substantial BEPS impact on company performance, but report differences in its magnitude. Other authors claim that, despite a wide range of tax avoidance opportunities available, tax avoidance is limited due to institutional measures imposed (tax audits, penalties for non-compliance) and high implementation costs. A majority of the previous empirical research covered large countries (USA, Germany) or regions (e.g. Europe), but there is a gap in the re-search assessing the BEPS impact on multinational corporations’ subsidiaries’ performance in countries with lower corporate income tax rates such as the Baltic countries. Purpose of the article: To assess the impact of base erosion and profit shifting on multinational corporations’ subsidiaries’ performance in the Baltic countries. Methods: Empirical research is conducted based on the framework employed by Hines and Rice (1994) to measure BEPS impact on company performance. Regression analysis with fixed effects was applied to a sample of 3,422 Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian subsidiaries of multinational corporations, which are characterized by low corporate tax rates.  The data for the period of 2007–2015 was retrieved from the Amadeus database. Findings & Value added: The research revealed that Baltic countries’ tax differentials between multinational corporations’ parent and subsidiary countries might have a significant impact on the subsidiary’s financial performance. When the tax rate differences between Baltic and the foreign countries decrease by 1%, reported profits in Baltic countries increase by 2.3%, indicating profit-shifting behaviour. This is in line with the empirical literature and practices applied by multinational corporations. It is also in favour of anti-tax avoidance measures introduced by the EC to be adopted by Baltic and other EU countries.

scholarly journals ADMINISTRATION AND AUDIT OF THE EXCISE TAX ON BEER

2018 ◽  
pp. 69-79
Author(s):  
Fedir TKACHYK ◽  
Inna HUTSUL ◽  
Anastasiia ZINKEVYCH
Keyword(s):  
Alcoholic Beverages ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Tax Base ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Excise Tax ◽  
Excise Duty ◽  
Alcoholic Drinks ◽  
Effective Instrument

Introduction. The role of excise tax in social and economic processes is determined by its ability to regulate the interest of producers before entering such industries as brewing. The excise tax is an effective instrument for realizing in the interests of society the strategic purposes and objectives of the state policy - socio-economic and fiscal. It is a basic of the sustainable development of the country. Thus, it is expedient to study the main trends of administration and audit of the excise tax on beer in Ukraine. The purposeof the article is to study the tasks and procedures for administering and auditing the excise tax for producers of malt beer. Results. Characterization of excisable goods and rates of excise duty on malting beer is carried out. The task of audit of excise tax is determined. The article presents the correspondence of accounts for the excise tax on alcoholic beverages. The number of declarants of the excise tax on malt beer in Ukraine has been monitored. The factors that influence the administration of the excise tax from the malt to the budget are determined. The article analyzes the main indicators of the excise tax declaration of the brewing enterprise. A viewpoint on optimization of excise tax rates for alcoholic beverages, in particular for malting beer, is formulated. Focused attention is paid to the role of the excise tax on alcoholic beverages (beer) for the financial resources of the states. The expediency of the strengthened tax regulation of the alcoholic drinks market in Ukraine was noted. Conclusions. The main problems of administration and audit of the excise tax are related to the growth of fiscal opportunities and the reduction of regulatory influence. Therefore, there is a need for a significant improvement of the procedure for charging and paying excise by enhancing its regulatory properties and expanding the tax base.

scholarly journals Are Less Developed Countries More Exposed to Multinational Tax Avoidance? Method and Evidence from Micro-Data

2019 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 790-809 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Johannesen ◽  
Thomas Tørsløv ◽  
Ludvig Wier
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Multinational Firms ◽  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Institutional Development ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Less Developed Countries ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Profit Shifting ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Data Requirements

Abstract This paper uses a global dataset with information about 210,000 corporations in 142 countries to investigate whether tax avoidance by multinational firms is more prevalent in less-developed countries. The paper proposes a novel approach to studying cross-border profit shifting, which has relatively low data requirements and is therefore particularly well-suited for the context of developing countries. The results consistently show that the sensitivity of reported profits to profit-shifting incentives is negatively related to the level of economic and institutional development. This may explain why many developing countries opt for low corporate tax rates in spite of urgent revenue needs and severe constraints on the use of other tax bases.

Challenges of Monitoring Tax Compliance by Multinational Firms: Evidence from Chile

2019 ◽  
Vol 109 ◽  
pp. 500-505
Author(s):  
Sebastián Bustos ◽  
Dina Pomeranz ◽  
José Vila-Belda ◽  
Gabriel Zucman
Keyword(s):  
Multinational Firms ◽  
Transfer Pricing ◽  
Tax Avoidance ◽  
Tax Compliance ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Profit Shifting ◽  
Effective Tax Rates ◽  
Arm’S Length Principle ◽  
Debt Shifting

This paper reviews common challenges of taxing multinational firms, using Chile as a case study. We briefly describe key international tax avoidance methods: profit shifting to low-tax jurisdictions through transfer pricing and debt shifting. We discuss the prevalent policy to tax multinationals--the arm's length principle--and alternative proposals using apportionment formulas. Novel data from Chile show that multinationals make up a large share of GDP but report lower profit and effective tax rates than local firms. In 2011, Chile implemented a reform following OECD guidelines to enforce the arm's length principle. We discuss potential effects on tax collection and welfare.

Inequality: traditional drivers and the role of union power

2019 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florence Jaumotte ◽  
Carolina Osorio Buitron
Keyword(s):  
Instrumental Variable ◽  
Technological Progress ◽  
Union Density ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Net Income ◽  
Omitted Variables ◽  
Financial Deregulation ◽  
Advanced Economies ◽  
Marginal Tax Rates

Abstract We examine the factors explaining the increase in gross and net income inequality in advanced economies since the 1980s. Our results support the view that globalization, technological progress, financial deregulation and lower top marginal tax rates are associated with higher inequality, and we find that the relation between the decline in union density and the rise in top decile income shares—a phenomenon which labour economists have long been discussing—is widespread across advanced economies. The influence of union density on top income shares appears to be causal, as evidenced by our instrumental variable estimates and the inclusion of potentially omitted variables.

Taxes and risk-taking behavior: evidence from mergers and acquisitions in the G7 nations

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 277-294
Author(s):  
Poonyawat Sreesing
Keyword(s):  
Mergers And Acquisitions ◽  
Option Pricing ◽  
Risk Taking ◽  
Investment Decisions ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Asset Risk ◽  
Tax Effects ◽  
Corporate Risk

PurposeThis study aims to examine how corporate taxes affect corporate risk-taking decisions.Design/methodology/approachThis study examines corporate risk-taking by analyzing how a firm’s asset risk changes following an acquisition carried out by publicly listed companies in the G7 nations. To measure the asset risk of a firm, this study uses the option pricing framework in Merton (1974).FindingsConsistent with an implication of the Merton (1974) framework, the findings show that firms take more risk in their investment decisions when tax rates are high. Moreover, the tax effects wane for firms with a relatively large borrowing opportunity and this suggests that the risk-taking incentive from taxes is moderated by the reputation concern in the debt market, lending support to the Diamond (1989) reputation-building model. The empirical results also show that the tax-induced risk-taking incentive is restrained by creditor rights. Overall, the study reveals an important role of taxes in the structure of corporate investment decisions.Practical implicationsThe implications of this study can be beneficial to policymakers when considering the alteration of tax rates, as it will affect the riskiness of firm investment decisions.Originality/valueThis study provides a better understanding of the role of taxes on risk-taking and also contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting tax effects of risk-taking. The relationship between taxes and risk-taking has proven that the corporate taxation is one of the key factors that firms consider during their selection of risky investments. Unlike previous studies, this research is the first to investigate the change in asset risk, estimating by the option pricing framework, through studying a particular event: mergers and acquisitions.

scholarly journals La réglementation de l’industrie québécoise du camionnage : aperçu et considérations analytiques

2009 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-112
Author(s):  
Michel Boucher
Keyword(s):  
Allocative Efficiency ◽  
Trucking Industry ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Transport Services ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
Industry Performance ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT This paper examines the role and practices of the Quebec Transport Commission (QTC), and attempts to assess the significance of regulatory restrictions in this province and their impact on the performance of the Quebec trucking industry. So the interpretation given by the QTC to the test of "public convenience and necessity" makes the requirement for a licence a major obstacle to entry. The rate approval process in Quebec, on the other hand, appears to be largely a formality; the proportion of requests for rate changes granted in whole or in part by the QTC tends to generally be well over 90 percent. These aspects, along with the significant role of the Quebec Tariff Bureau, suggest that regulation is likely to substantially reduce competition and provide for the realization of monopoly rents. However, a number of factors have eroded the influence both of the QTC and the Quebec Tariff Bureau. The availability of substitute transport services has substantially reduced the effects of the QTC's entry restrictions. In this regard, it is refered specifically to the services of freight brokers and leasing (or pseudo-leasing) firms, and to the potential alternatives in the form of rail and private carriage. In addition, "illegal trucking" has become an important phenomenon in the province as a result of the rather lax enforcement of the Commission's regulations and the low fines for violations. As for the activities of the Quebec Tariff Bureau, it is pointed out that it does not and could not effectively "cartelize" the industry given its inability to enforce rates and production quotas, and the strong incentive of individual members to undermine any such cartel. An examination of various aspects of the performance of the Quebec trucking industry was found to confirm the importance of competitive factors. Although some permits in the province have acquired a market value, these were estimated to be quite low (as a percentage of operating revenue), well below the levels found for the U.S. This suggests that regulation is not giving rise to very substantial excess profits for the industry as a whole. A comparison of before-tax rates of return for firms in Quebec and firms in Alberta supports this finding. More generally, the analysis of market structure and performance leads to the conclusion that trucking regulation in Quebec is largely ineffective. The availability of intra-modal and inter-modal substitutes has considerably reduced the impact of regulation on industry performance and greatly diminished its negative consequences for allocative efficiency.

scholarly journals PROFIT SHIFTING TO EUROPEAN TAX HAVENS: THE CASE OF SUBSIDIARIES OF MULTINATIONAL COMPANIES IN SERBIA

TEME ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1441
Author(s):  
Stefan Vržina
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Multinational Companies ◽  
Tax Burden ◽  
Public Disclosure ◽  
Tax Rates ◽  
Profit Shifting ◽  
Tax Havens ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Tax Haven ◽  
National Tax

Due to the presence in a number of countries, multinational companies (MNCs) are in position to register a considerable part of pre-tax profit in countries with a preferential tax regime in order to avoid paying taxes at high rates. In other words, MNCs are able to shift profit from countries with a high tax burden to countries with low tax burden. In this paper, it is examined whether Serbian subsidiaries of MNCs, directly owned by European tax haven entities, more intensively shift profit to tax havens relative to other subsidiaries. A list of tax havens published by Oxfam in 2016 is used. Statistical tests and regression analysis showed that there is no significant difference in profit shifting to tax havens between two mentioned groups of subsidiaries. Therefore, it is possible that MNCs consider Serbia as a country with preferential tax regime due to relatively low statutory and effective corporate income tax rates. However, for the purposes of a detailed analysis, national tax authorities should insist on public disclosure of company tax reports to make tax practices of MNCs more transparent.

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