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Shifting the Burden of Taxation From the Corporate to the Personal Level and Getting the Corporate Tax Rate Down to 15 Percent

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  • Harry Grubert
  • Rosanne Altshuler

Abstract

We consider three plans for shifting the tax on corporate income to the personal level to achieve a significant reduction in the corporate tax rate. One plan eliminates the corporate tax and taxes dividends and the annual change in the value of publicly traded financial assets at ordinary rates. The second integrates corporate and shareholder taxes. The third lowers the corporate tax rate to 15 percent and taxes dividends and capital gains as ordinary income. To prevent large reductions in capital gains realizations and dividend payouts, an interest charge on taxes deferred during the holding period would be imposed when an asset is sold. We conclude that the third alternative is more robust than the other two.

Suggested Citation

  • Harry Grubert & Rosanne Altshuler, 2016. "Shifting the Burden of Taxation From the Corporate to the Personal Level and Getting the Corporate Tax Rate Down to 15 Percent," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 69(3), pages 643-676, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:ntj:journl:v:69:y:2016:i:3:p:643-676
    DOI: 10.17310/ntj.2016.3.06
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cronin, Julie Anne & Lin, Emily Y. & Power, Laura & Cooper, Michael, 2013. "Distributing the Corporate Income Tax: Revised U.S. Treasury Methodology," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 66(1), pages 239-262, March.
    2. Alan J. Auerbach, 2006. "Who Bears the Corporate Tax? A Review of What We Know," NBER Chapters, in: Tax Policy and the Economy, Volume 20, pages 1-40, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Rosanne Altshuler & Benjamin Harris & Eric Toder, 2011. "Capital Income Taxation and Progressivity in a Global Economy," Departmental Working Papers 201122, Rutgers University, Department of Economics.
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    Cited by:

    1. Seth G. Benzell & Laurence J. Kotlikoff & Guillermo Lagarda & Yifan Ye, 2018. "Simulating U.S. Business Cash Flow Taxation in a 17-Region Global Model," Boston University - Department of Economics - The Institute for Economic Development Working Papers Series dp-312, Boston University - Department of Economics.
    2. Bräutigam, Rainer & Spengel, Christoph & Stutzenberger, Kathrin, 2017. "The development of corporate tax structures in the European Union from 1998 to 2015 - Qualitative and quantitative analysis," ZEW Discussion Papers 17-034, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    3. Seth G. Benzell & Laurence J. Kotlikoff & Guillermo LaGarda & Victor Yifan Ye, 2017. "Simulating Business Cash Flow Taxation," NBER Working Papers 23675, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Kimberly Clausing & Edward Kleinbard & Ms. Thornton Matheson, 2016. "U.S. Corporate Income Tax Reform and its Spillovers," IMF Working Papers 2016/127, International Monetary Fund.
    5. Harju, Jarkko & Koivisto, Aliisa & Matikka, Tuomas, 2022. "The effects of corporate taxes on small firms," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm

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