Capital Tax Research Articles

Earnings Management Factors Analysis Using Earnings Quality as a Moderator (An Energy Firm Will Be Established On The Indonesia Stock Exchange Between 2015-2020)

The desired outcome of the research is to examine and empirically establish the effect of tax planning, deferred tax assets, deferred tax expense, and profitability on earnings management in energy sector firms established on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) between 2015-2020, with earnings quality as a moderating variable and leverage and firm size as control variables. According to the research object's criteria, the samples used in this research were 11 firms from 78 in the energy sector. Purposive sampling was used in the research, along with the Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA) test. According to the result of this research, tax planning, deferred tax expense, and profitability, all have a positive effect on earnings management, but deferred tax assets have no effect. Earnings quality, as a moderating variable, can mitigate the effects of tax planning on earnings management, but cannot mitigate the effects of profitability on earnings management. Furthermore, leverage has no effect on earnings management as a control variable, whereas firm size has a negative effect on earnings management. This research's contribution is a discussion of research results and differences with previous research results and related theories, and it can be implemented in every company's management in its operations for policy-making and management decisions for firms, particularly in the energy sector

Capital and labor taxes with costly state contingency

We analyze optimal capital and labor taxes in a model where (i) the government makes noncontingent announcements about future policies and (ii) state-contingent deviations from these announcements are costly. With Full Commitment, optimal announcements coincide with expected future taxes. Costly state contingency dampens the response of both current and future capital taxes to government spending shocks and labor taxes play a major role in accommodating fiscal shocks. These features allow our quantitative model to account for the volatility of taxes in US data. In the absence of Full Commitment, optimal announcements are instead strategically biased, because governments have an incentive to partially constrain their successors. The cost of deviating from past announcements generates an endogenous degree of fiscal commitment, determining the average level of capital taxes.

CAPITAL TAX REFORMS WITH POLICY UNCERTAINTY

AbstractOne important feature of capital tax reforms is the uncertainty regarding their duration. In a standard heterogeneous firm framework with financial frictions, we model policy uncertainty by assuming that reforms may be either repealed or maintained with some probability every period. We illustrate the effects of policy uncertainty in the context of the 2003 Bush tax cuts (2003 Job Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act), which lowered shareholder taxes. We show that policy uncertainty regarding dividend and capital gains taxes can explain why the Bush tax cuts had no statistically significant effect on investment, in line with the empirical evidence.

The impact of TCJA on CEO compensation

The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) expanded the impact of IRC Section 162(m) by disallowing a tax deduction for any compensation over $1 million paid to top executives. Under prior law, qualified performance-based compensation was exempt from the $1 million limit. Using OLS regressions, we examine whether TCJA affected CEO compensation immediately after enactment. We find evidence that CEO salaries, non-equity incentive pay, stock awards and total compensation are all higher after TCJA. While the law change increases the after-tax cost of compensation for the average firm, our results show that TCJA did not constrain CEO compensation. However, relative to the average effect, in cross-sectional analyses, we find some evidence that compensation was lower for strong CEOs post TCJA. We also find some evidence that CEOs at firms with high leverage and net deferred tax assets, including tax net operating losses, saw a decrease in various types of incentive compensation post TCJA.

How much capital should be taxed? A review of the quantitative and empirical literature

AbstractThis paper reviews the literature providing quantitative and empirical results on capital taxation. In doing this, we differentiate between individual and corporate taxes, respectively. From existing literature, it emerges that capital income taxes for individuals increase with the degree of heterogeneity within the population, market competition, and the economy's maturity, being negative (i.e., subsidy) in the presence of monopolistic competition or developing countries, no higher than 15% in Mirrleesian economies and as high as 45% when coupled with incomplete insurance markets and labor income taxes in competitive‐closed economies. Excessively high wealth tax rates for redistributive purposes, however, are prevented by the larger tax elasticity of rich (−1.15) with respect to poor (−0.09) individuals. Negative tax elasticities concerning employment (from −0.5 to −0.2), innovation (from −2.8 to −1.3), and investments (−4.7) suggest low corporate taxes, whose magnitude should be negatively related to the degree of the economy's openness, given also the possibility for firms to relocate abroad. Finally, although still inconclusive, the main conclusions concerning dividend taxes suggest that tax rates increase with the firm's size and, thus, be set at low levels for start‐ups.

Quantitative analysis of a wealth tax for the United States: Exclusions and expenditures

We use a quantitative overlapping generations model with endogenous tax avoidance and rich tax detail to analyze two major issues in the design of a wealth tax for the United States: the provision of exclusions for certain housing and business equity, and the range of government expenditure options allowed for by additional revenues. First, we find that while the exclusion for owner-occupied housing results in quantitatively insignificant macroeconomic and budgetary effects, the exclusion for privately-held noncorporate business equity results in a shift of productive activity towards that sector which can significantly undermine the revenue-raising potential of the tax. Second, we find that the macroeconomic effects of a given wealth tax regime can vary in magnitudes of contraction or expansion depending on the type of expenditures that are assumed to be financed by the additional revenues.

Individual Wealth Taxes and Corporate Payouts

ABSTRACT We examine the effect of individual wealth taxes on dividend policy. Using a comprehensive sample of European public firms from 26 countries, we document that wealth taxes paired with substantial increases in stock prices are associated with significantly larger dividend payouts. This pattern is stronger among closely held firms, family firms, and firms with shares directly owned by individuals. We also find evidence suggesting that the dividends induced by wealth taxes have meaningful economic consequences; the announcement of dividends with a higher probability of being induced by wealth taxes elicits lower stock returns, and such dividends are associated with lower levels of subsequent investment. Overall, our evidence contributes to the rekindled debate on wealth taxes by showing that this type of taxation affects corporate financial policies. JEL Classifications: G14; G20; G28; G30; K2.

Globalisation, taxation and inequality

AbstractToday's tax systems, in which value‐added taxes and payroll taxes play a prominent role, are largely creations of the 1950s. We need to invent modern tax systems adapted to the reality of the 21st century: the growing importance of capital and the rise of inequality. This article reviews some of the challenges involved with increasing the progressivity of tax systems in a globalised world and discusses how these challenges could be overcome. I make the case for new and more ambitious forms of international cooperation and for modern forms of wealth taxation.

Analyses of unintended consequences of IAS 12 on deferred income taxes

PurposeAn intractable effect of revenue and expense recognition based on tax regulation and accounting rules is unresolved and may be manageable only by reducing the value of deferred taxes. Therefore, in this study, the authors examined the relationship between the International Accounting Standard 12 (IAS 12) and deferred income taxes associated with tax and accounting rules.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used a large sample of balanced data from 144 firms across 1992–2019. To mitigate the problem of superfluous results, the authors used the same number of firms and years for pre- and post-IAS 12 periods. The authors employed robust econometric estimations to establish the impact of IAS 12 on deferred tax.FindingsThe regression results show that deferred tax assets decreased significantly, whereas deferred tax liabilities increased significantly, in the post-IAS 12 period. These contrasting results imply that IAS 12 implementation has increased conservatism and prudence in financial reporting. However, the authors find that the increase in deferred tax assets post-IAS 12 is value destructive, suggesting that its implementation has unintended consequences. The results are robust to alternative measurements and econometric identification strategies.Originality/valueWhile prior studies have explored topics such as deferred tax measurement and the impact of income and expense recognition, the authors specifically analyzed how IAS 12 affects deferred taxes and their effect on the market valuation. The authors find that certain accounting standards may not be relevant to the capital market.

Deferred Tax Accounting and Financial Performance of Listed Consumer Goods’ Manufacturing Companies in Nigeria

This research examines the relationship between deferred tax accounting and financial performance of listed consumer goods’ manufacturing companies in Nigeria using data from 19 listed consumer goods companies selected judgmentally. The study adopts the panel regression technique to test three hypotheses stated in line with the specific objectives. Findings from the study revealed that, deferred tax asset and liability have a positive non- significant relationship with return on assets of listed consumer goods’ manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Further findings revealed that, deferred tax asset has positive non- significant relationship with leverage of listed consumer goods’ manufacturing companies in Nigeria, while, deferred tax liability has a negative non-significant relationship with leverage of listed consumer goods’ manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Finally, the study revealed that deferred tax asset has a positive non-significant relationship with earnings per share of listed consumer goods’ manufacturing companies in Nigeria, while, deferred tax liability has a negative non-significant relationship with earnings per share of listed consumer goods’ manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Hence it recommends that companies in Nigeria should look into available tax credits for particular assets and explore the possibility of taking advantage of such tax credits in order to reduce tax burden through tax deferment. Also, that the companies’ managers should always consider choosing the right capital combination, as it is imperative that the managers and tax planners explore tax incentives and investments that attract less taxes.

Evaluating fiscal policy reforms using the fiscal frontier

We develop a Fiscal Frontier which traces out the maximum government debt level that can be sustained at a given welfare cost. Through duality, the intertemporal policy mix underpinning the Frontier mirrors standard Ramsey policy and defines an upper limit on the welfare gains that can be achieved by any fiscal reform. The Frontier is then used to evaluate a variety of fiscal reforms: (1) one-off changes in tax instruments considered in Laffer curve calculations, (2) a gradual reduction in capital taxation proposed by Lucas (1990), and (3) fiscal consolidation strategies akin to those considered by the Congressional Budget Office. Conventional Laffer curve calculations significantly under-estimate the sustainable debt of the US. The desirable pace of capital tax abolition has slowed since the 1970s, but the reform remains close to the Frontier. Achieving debt reduction targets considered by the Congressional Budget Office is typically very costly, especially when the fiscal consolidation is large and must be achieved quickly, but a simultaneous capital tax reform can more than offset those costs in all cases we consider.

Does a progressive wealth tax reduce top wealth inequality? Evidence from Switzerland

AbstractLike in many other countries, wealth inequality has increased in Switzerland over the last 50 years. By providing new evidence on cantonal top wealth shares for each of the 26 cantons since 1969, we show that the overall trend masks striking differences across cantons, both in levels and trends. Combining this with variation in cantonal wealth taxes, we then estimate an event study model to identify the dynamic effects of reforms to top wealth tax rates on the subsequent evolution of wealth concentration. Our results imply that a reduction in the top marginal wealth tax rate by 0.1 percentage points increases the top 1 per cent (0.1 per cent) wealth share by 0.9 (1.2) percentage points 5 years after the reform. This suggests that wealth tax cuts over the last 50 years explain roughly 18 per cent (25 per cent) of the increase in wealth concentration among the top 1 per cent (0.1 per cent).

Taxing the wealthy: the choice between wealth and capital income taxation

Abstract This paper analyses the relative merits of wealth and capital income taxes as instruments for taxing the rich. The main rationale for a wealth tax is to address the incompleteness of the tax code in taxing unrealized capital gains, which can be enormous and concentrated among the wealthy. However, by taxing presumed rather than actual returns, a wealth tax fails to address inequality among taxpayers with the same wealth but different capital incomes. In addition, wealth taxation creates liquidity problems that may adversely affect growth firms and start-ups, which is why wealth taxes typically provide exemptions and deductions for certain business assets. Our empirical analysis, based on Swedish register data, describes the wealth composition of the wealthiest and assesses the distributional incidence of different combinations of wealth and capital income taxation.

Rethinking capital and wealth taxation

Abstract This paper reviews recent developments in the theory and practice of optimal capital taxation. We emphasize three main rationales for capital taxation. First, the frontier between capital and labour income flows is often fuzzy, thereby lending support to a broad-based, comprehensive income tax. Next, the very notions of income and consumption flows are difficult to define and measure for top wealth holders where capital gains due to asset price effects dwarf ordinary income and consumption flows. Therefore the proper way to tax billionaires is a progressive wealth tax. Finally, as individuals cannot choose their parents, there are strong meritocratic reasons why we should tax inherited wealth more than earned income or self-made wealth for which individuals can be held responsible, at least in part. This implies that the ideal fiscal system should also include a progressive inheritance tax, in addition to progressive income and wealth taxes. We then confront our prescriptions with historical experience. Although there are significant differences, we argue that observed fiscal systems in modern democracies bear important similarities with this ideal triptych.

Tax progressivity and taxing the rich in developing countries: lessons from Latin America.

This article discusses the challenges and potential policy choices for levying progressive taxes and taxing the rich in Latin America, a region known for its high-income inequality, limited tax-collection capacity, and low share of taxes collected from personal income and wealth. Factors such as high exemption thresholds, low top marginal tax rates, and limited administrative capacity undermine the redistributive ability and revenue collection of the tax systems in the region. Moreover, the income composition for the top percentiles largely comes from capital, and the effective tax rates they face are often low due to the preferential treatment of capital income and wealth. After discussing the evidence of how the rich in Latin America respond to progressive taxes on income and wealth and changes in enforcement policy, we provide some insights on potential policy choices to tax them effectively. These may include broadening the income tax base by lowering the number of exempt and non-taxable income items and the statutory exemption thresholds, reevaluating preferential tax rates on capital income, monitoring foreign income, addressing the abuse of tax treatment by business earners, and enhancing tax administration capacity. Additionally, wealth taxes may complement the tax system with updates to property registers and scrutiny of foreign assets.

Would an unapportioned US federal wealth tax be constitutional, and what does that mean?

AbstractTo assess the constitutionality of an unapportioned federal wealth tax, and/or of a federal income tax provision reaching wealthy taxpayers’ unrealized gains, one needs an underlying framework for making judgements about legal claims. While no such framework can be entirely specified, at least to general agreement, this does not support nihilistically rejecting all comparative judgements about better versus worse, or more versus less convincing, instances of legal analysis.While it appears nearly certain that the Supreme Court’s current right-wing majority would strike down an unapportioned federal wealth tax, the ‘correct’ answer to this constitutional question cannot be proven to general agreement. I myself would disagree with such a holding by the Court. An important variable in resolving the issue for oneself is how much continuing precedential weight one should give to Pollock v. Farmers’ Loan & Trust Co.—a case that itself blatantly disrespected precedent, but that did so more than a century ago, and that (on the other hand) some argue has already ceased to be good law. The principle of respecting precedent both has instrumental value and has been long (if fitfully) honoured within the American legal system, but all agree that its weight is not absolute.An unapportioned minimum income tax on the wealthiest Americans that included in income their unrealized capital gains would likely be constitutional under currently prevalent legal doctrine. It is true, however, that Eisner v. Macomber (1920), if it were held to remain good law beyond its immediate facts, would support holding it unconstitutional. The prospect that the current Supreme Court’s six right-wingers will decide to revive Macomber provides only one reason for suspecting that they might strike down such a provision, perhaps while also launching a broader constitutional war against central tenets of the current regime for taxing wealthy individuals and capital income. However, it lies beyond the power of conventional legal analysis to predict either what form such a war would take, or on what terms it might end up being resolved.

Voluntary Disclosure Program (PPS) Reviewed from the Perspective of State Administration Law and Its Effectiveness in Encouraging National Economic Improvement

The voluntary disclosure program (PPS) was created to increase taxpayer compliance and the need for large funds to overcome financial deficits due to the pandemic and post-Covid economic recovery. The purpose of this research is to discuss how the legal perspective of state administration views the voluntary disclosure program (PPS). In addition, it also examines how the effectiveness of voluntary disclosure programs (PPS) in encouraging National economic improvement. The results obtained from this research are that in terms of procedures and principles, the voluntary disclosure program already represents the implementation of tax law which is part of state administrative law. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the implementation of the voluntary disclosure program (PPS) is considered ineffective. This is due to several obstacles, both in terms of the variables supporting its successful tax amnesty, which have not been implemented optimally, and the conditions of business actors who experience several obstacles, including high tariffs, limited investment instruments, many tax assets that are not liquid, and economic recovery that has not been maximized.

Pengaruh Perencanaan Pajak Dan Aktiva Pajak Tangguhan Terhadap Financial Performance

This study intends to carry out an analysis related to the influence of tax planning variables and deferred tax assets variables on financial performance. The targets of this research are food and beverage sub-sector manufacturing companies that have been registered on the IDX from 2019 to 2022. Then the sampling method used in this study was purposive sampling and 9 samples of companies were obtained. While researchers used three data analysis methods, namely the classical assumption test, multiple linear regression test and hypothesis testing. The results shown in this study are that the tax planning variable has no partial effect on financial performance, but deferred tax assets have a partial effect on financial performance. While simultaneously the variable tax planning and deferred tax asset variables jointly have an influence on financial performance.

Can wealth taxation fund public investment in a caring and sustainable economy? The case of the UK

Abstract This article develops a theoretical model integrating wealth concentration and taxation to the feminist post-Kaleckian models. We estimate the model econometrically using an instrumental variable-generalized method of moments approach for the UK. We find that an increase in the tax rate on wealth decreases wealth concentration, and has a strong positive impact on output, employment and the budget. An increase in the progressivity of income taxation by increasing the tax rate on profits and decreasing the tax rate on labour income also leads to similar results, but the effects are more modest compared to wealth taxation. Public social infrastructure investment has a high positive effect on output and productivity as well as employment and gender equality in wages and employment. Public physical infrastructure investment has also a substantial effect on output and employment, albeit creating fewer jobs for women compared to the case of social infrastructure, while productivity effects are more modest.

Financial development threshold effect on wealth inequality-economic growth nexus: Evidence from MENA economies

This paper investigates the impact of the threshold effect of financial development on the relationship between wealth inequality and economic growth of 13 Middle East-North African (MENA) countries between 1995 and 2019. Applying the fixed-effect threshold panel model introduced by Hansen (1999), we test for a non-linear association between wealth disparity and economic output below and above a threshold value of financial development. The results show that wealth inequality inhibits economic expansion regardless of the level of financial development. Besides, this destructive impact intensifies with increased financial development. Our findings highlight that the rise in the wealth gap especially accompanied by accelerating financial reforms hurts economic growth. The findings of our research provide useful implications for the MENA region. Policymakers should reduce inequality of patrimony by adopting wealth tax to achieve a more equitable capital distribution. Furthermore, governments must adjust the financial development process to make it consistent with wealth equalizing policies and sustainable growth.