One of the fundamental questions in business tax reform is whether to allow firms to immediately expense investments or require economic cost recovery. The conventional view is that expensing would generate stronger growth effects holding revenues constant. This view is rooted in traditional...

Traditional economic theory holds that a business cash-flow tax is superior to a business income tax because it is more efficient and progressive. But much of the literature espousing this view does not explicitly specify the full range of assumptions underlying these claims, let alone explore...

Most legal and economics scholars recognize both that the government needs information about taxpayers’ transactions in order to determine whether their reporting is honest, and that third-party reporting helps the government obtain that information. Given governments’ reliance on tax funds,...

This paper examines the interplay between tax and internal reporting incentives among affiliates of multinational corporations (MNCs). Using granular data of affiliates belonging to MNCs from 21 European countries, our study provides new empirical evidence of affiliate reporting responses...

It is well documented that firms tend to manipulate earnings before IPO (initial public offerings) and SEO (seasoned equity offerings). This study contributes to the literature by providing the first evidence on whether and how fiscal support in the form of preferential tax treatment and...

This study examines how firms shift profits from one period to another in response to the introduction of an allowance for corporate equity (ACE). We focus on the introduction of the risk capital allowance (RCA) in Belgium by the law of June 22nd, 2005. We predict and find that firms with...

This paper examines the level and efficiency of private firms' investments with respect to corporate tax cuts. Earlier research has focused mainly on public firms. Research into private firms is especially relevant since these companies tend to finance future growth through internal financing....

Using firm-level data for 1,084 parent firms in 24 countries and for 9,497 subsidiaries in 54 countries, we show that tax-motivated profit shifting is larger among subsidiaries in countries that have stable corporate tax rates over time. Our findings further suggest that firms move away from...

This study develops a model in which a multinational firm creates a brand that generates income in multiple countries. Many firms attempt to develop a brand, but only one firm succeeds. The firm that creates the brand earns positive residual profits. The industry as a whole does not, as the...