Effective profit taxation and the elasticity of the corporate income tax base: Evidence from German corporate tax return data

We estimate the elasticity of corporate taxable income with respect to the effective corporate tax rate on the basis of a pseudo-panel constructed from corporate tax return micro data for the period 1998-2001, a period which saw the introduction of a major corporate tax reform in Germany. Endogeneity of the effective tax rate is controlled for by an instrumental variable approach. Our instrument for the observed effective corporate tax rate is the counterfactual effective tax rate a corporation would face in a particular period had there be no endogenous change of corporate profits. This counterfactual is obtained from a detailed microsimulation model of the corporate sector based on tax return micro data. We find a statistically significant and relatively large point estimate of the average tax base elasticity, which implies that a reduction of the statutory corporate tax rate would reduce corporate tax receipts less tha n proportionally due to income shifting activities. We also find some statistically weak evidence for the hypothesis that the tax base elasticity is higher for corporations that may benefit from various forms of tax shields. --corporate income taxation,tax base elasticity,micro simulation

Financial leverage and corporate taxation: Evidence from German corporate tax return data

We estimate the impact of effective profit taxation on the financial leverage of corporations on the basis of a pseudo-panel constructed from corporate tax return micro data for the period 1998-2001, a period which saw the introduction of a major corporate tax reform in Germany. The financial leverage is measured by the ratio of long-term debt to total capital. Endogeneity of the effective corporate tax rate is controlled for by an instrumental variable approach. Our instrument for the observed effective tax rate is the counterfactual tax rate a corporation would face in a particular period had there been no endogenous change of its financial structure. This counterfactual is obtained from a detailed microsimulation model of the corporate sector based on tax return micro data. We find a statistically significant and relatively large positive effect of the tax rate on corporate leverage: on average, an increase of the tax rate by 10 percent would increase the financial leverage by about 5 percent. We also find that the debt ratio is less responsive for small corporations and for corporations that benefit from various other forms of tax shields, in particular depreciation allowances and tax loss carry-forward. However, tax effects do not seem to depend on risk, although the level of economic risk does affect corporate leverage. --financial leverage,financial structure,debt ratio,corporate income taxation,corporate

Effective Profit Taxation and the Elasticity of the Corporate Income Tax Base: Evidence from German Corporate Tax Return Data

We estimate the elasticity of corporate taxable income with respect to the effective corporate tax rate on the basis of a pseudo-panel constructed from corporate tax return micro data for the period 1998-2001, a period which saw the introduction of a major corporate tax reform in Germany. Endogeneity of the effective tax rate is controlled for by an instrumental variable approach. Our instrument for the observed effective corporate tax rate is the counterfactual effective tax rate a corporation would face in a particular period had there be no endogenous change of corporate profits. This counterfactual is obtained from a detailed microsimulation model of the corporate sector based on tax return micro data. We find a statistically significant and relatively large point estimate of the average tax base elasticity, which implies that a reduction of the statutory corporate tax rate would reduce corporate tax receipts less than proportionally due to income shifting activities. We also find some statistically weak evidence for the hypothesis that the tax base elasticity is higher for corporations that may benefit from various forms of tax shields.corporate income taxation, tax base elasticity, micro simulation

Sharing the burden: Empirical evidence on corporate tax incidence

This study assesses the burden of capital income tax passed onto labor through wage bargaining over economic rents, using estimations based on a unique pseudo-panel data set from Germany for the period 1998 to 2006. Tax return data cover the universe of corporations subject to corporate income tax, and labor market variables reflect the full record of employees covered by Social Security. We find that wage bargaining after a reduction in tax rates does not increase the wage bill if employment effects neglected by previous empirical studies are taken into account. Any increase in the total wage bill by higher wage rates set is equally compensated for by lower levels of employment. If adjustments in employment due to the increased user cost of capital are taken into account, a cut in corporate income taxes by 1 euro increases the wage bill by 0.47 euro. The identification of these effects comes from variation in the firm-specific average corporate tax rate across firms and over time resulting from two substantial tax reforms. The endogeneity of the firmspecific tax rate is controlled for by an instrumental variable approach. The instrument for the observed average tax rate is the counterfactual tax rate that a corporation would have faced in a particular period, had there been no endogenous change of its tax base, constructed using a detailed microsimulation model. --tax incidence,wage determination,corporate income taxation,corporate tax return data

Unternehmensteuerreform 2008: Selbstfinanzierungseffekte von knapp 3 Milliarden Euro

In den vergangenen Jahren ist das Aufkommen aus der Unternehmensbesteuerung in Deutschland häufig weniger stark zurückgegangen, als es aufgrund reduzierter tariflicher Steuersätze zu erwarten gewesen wäre. Grund hierfür sind sogenannte Selbstfinanzierungseffekte. Diese ergeben sich aus einer höheren ökonomischen Aktivität der Unternehmen oder resultieren daraus, dass Steuervermeidungsaktivitäten bei niedrigeren tariflichen Steuersätzen weniger attraktiv sind. Eine neue Studie des DIW Berlin zeigt, dass solche Selbstfinanzierungseffekte auch für die Unternehmensteuerreform 2008 zu erwarten sind. Geht man von den bei der Körperschaftsteuer versteuerten Gewinnen in Höhe von 95 Milliarden Euro im Jahr 2007 aus, ist damit zu rechnen, dass 2010 allein aufgrund der Steuersenkung rund 18 Milliarden Euro zusätzlich beim deutschen Fiskus versteuert werden. Damit verbunden sind Mehreinnahmen bei der Körperschaftsteuer in Höhe von knapp drei Milliarden Euro

Unternehmensteuerreform 2008: Selbstfinanzierungseffekte von knapp 3 Milliarden Euro

In den vergangenen Jahren ist das Aufkommen aus der Unternehmensbesteuerung in Deutschland häufig weniger stark zurückgegangen, als es aufgrund reduzierter tariflicher Steuersätze zu erwarten gewesen wäre. Grund hierfür sind sogenannte Selbstfinanzierungseffekte. Diese ergeben sich aus einer höheren ökonomischen Aktivität der Unternehmen oder resultieren daraus, dass Steuervermeidungsaktivitäten bei niedrigeren tariflichen Steuersätzen weniger attraktiv sind. Eine neue Studie des DIW Berlin zeigt, dass solche Selbstfinanzierungseffekte auch für die Unternehmensteuerreform 2008 zu erwarten sind. Geht man von den bei der Körperschaftsteuer versteuerten Gewinnen in Höhe von 95 Milliarden Euro im Jahr 2007 aus, ist damit zu rechnen, dass 2010 allein aufgrund der Steuersenkung rund 18 Milliarden Euro zusätzlich beim deutschen Fiskus versteuert werden. Damit verbunden sind Mehreinnahmen bei der Körperschaftsteuer in Höhe von knapp drei Milliarden Euro.Corporate income Taxation, Tax base elasticity, Micro simulation

empirical evidence on corporate tax incidence

This study assesses the burden of capital income tax passed onto labor through wage bargaining over economic rents, using estimations based on a unique pseudo-panel data set from Germany for the period 1998 to 2006. Tax return data cover the universe of corporations subject to corporate income tax, and labor market variables reflect the full record of employees covered by Social Security. We find that wage bargaining after a reduction in tax rates does not increase the wage bill if employment effects neglected by previous empirical studies are taken into account. Any increase in the total wage bill by higher wage rates set is equally compensated for by lower levels of employment. If adjustments in employment due to the increased user cost of capital are taken into account, a cut in corporate income taxes by 1 euro increases the wage bill by 0.47 euro. The identification of these effects comes from variation in the firm-specific average corporate tax rate across firms and over time resulting from two substantial tax reforms. The endogeneity of the firmspecific tax rate is controlled for by an instrumental variable approach. The instrument for the observed average tax rate is the counterfactual tax rate that a corporation would have faced in a particular period, had there been no endogenous change of its tax base, constructed using a detailed microsimulation model

Sharing the burden? Empirical evidence on corporate tax incidence

This study empirically investigates the direct incidence of the corporate income tax through wage bargaining, using an industry-region level panel data set on all corporations in Germany over the period 1998 to 2006. Our measure of direct incidence for the first time accounts for employment effects which result from tax induced wage changes. Workers share in reductions of the CIT burden; yet, direct incidence is small and confined to 0.19 0.29. Thus, the net effect of wage bargaining on the corporate wage bill, after an exogenous 1 decrease in the CIT burden, is as little as 19 to 29 cents. This is about half of the effect obtained in prior literature under the assumption that employment remained constant. A focus on wages alone leads to an overestimation of direct tax incidence

Examples of Global and Regional Laws and Policies Relevant to Addressing the Potential Impacts of Climate Change and Ocean Acidification

Laws and policies relevant to the potential impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on marine species and coastal communities appear at the global and regional level, as well as the national level (see Annex 6)