Why Taxing Executives' Bonuses Can Foster Risk-Taking Behavior

Bonus taxes have been implemented to prevent managers from taking excessive risks. This paper analyzes the effects of taxing executives' bonuses in a principal--agent model. Our model shows that, contrary to its intention, the introduction of a bonus tax intensifies managers' risk-taking behavior and decreases their effort. The principal responds to a bonus tax by offering the manager a higher fixed salary but a lower incentive-based component (bonus rate).