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Inferring Tax Compliance from Pass-Through: Evidence from Airbnb Tax Enforcement Agreements

Author

Listed:
  • Andrew J. Bibler

    (University of Nevada, Las Vegas)

  • Keith F. Teltser

    (Georgia State University)

  • Mark J. Tremblay

    (Miami University)

Abstract

Tax enforcement is especially costly when market participants are difficult to observe. The benefits of enforcement depend crucially on pre-enforcement compliance. We derive an upper bound on pre-enforcement compliance from the pass-through of newly enforced taxes. Using data on Airbnb listings and the platform's voluntary collection agreements, we find that taxes are paid on, at most, 24% of Airbnb transactions prior to enforcement. We also find that demand for Airbnb listings is inelastic, driving three key insights: the tax burden falls disproportionately on renters, the excess burden is small, and tax enforcement is relatively ineffective at reducing local Airbnb activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew J. Bibler & Keith F. Teltser & Mark J. Tremblay, 2021. "Inferring Tax Compliance from Pass-Through: Evidence from Airbnb Tax Enforcement Agreements," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 103(4), pages 636-651, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:restat:v:103:y:2021:i:4:p:636-651
    DOI: 10.1162/rest_a_00910
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    Cited by:

    1. David Boto-García & Veronica Leoni, 2022. "The hedonic value of coastal amenities in peer-to-peer markets," DEA Working Papers 94, Universitat de les Illes Balears, Departament d'Economía Aplicada.
    2. Asatryan, Zareh & Gomtsyan, David, 2020. "The incidence of VAT evasion," ZEW Discussion Papers 20-027, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    3. David R. Agrawal, 2021. "The Internet as a Tax Haven?," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 13(4), pages 1-35, November.
    4. David R. Agrawal & William F. Fox, 2021. "Taxing Goods and Services in a Digital Era," National Tax Journal, University of Chicago Press, vol. 74(1), pages 257-301.
    5. David Boto-García & Veronica Leoni, 2023. "The Economic Value of Coastal Amenities: Evidence from Beach Capitalization Effects in Peer-to-Peer Markets," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 84(2), pages 529-557, February.
    6. Francis Bloch & Gabrielle Demange, 2021. "Profit-splitting rules and the taxation of multinational digital platforms," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 28(4), pages 855-889, August.
    7. Agrawal, David R. & Shybalkina, Iuliia, 2023. "Online shopping can redistribute local tax revenue from urban to rural America," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 219(C).
    8. Mohammed Mardan & Mark J. Tremblay, 2022. "Network Effects: Betwixt and Between," CESifo Working Paper Series 10082, CESifo.
    9. Dolnicar, Sara, 2019. "A review of research into paid online peer-to-peer accommodation," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 248-264.
    10. Annabelle Doerr & Sarah Necker, 2021. "Collaborative Tax Evasion in the Provision of Services to Consumers: A Field Experiment," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 13(4), pages 185-216, November.
    11. Garz, Marcel & Schneider, Andrea, 2023. "Taxation of short-term rentals: Evidence from the introduction of the “Airbnb tax” in Norway," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    12. Ron Bekkerman & Maxime C. Cohen & Edward Kung & John Maiden & Davide Proserpio, 2023. "The Effect of Short-Term Rentals on Residential Investment," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 42(4), pages 819-834, July.
    13. David Dann & Raphael Müller & Ann-Catherin Werner & Timm Teubner & Alexander Mädche & Christoph Spengel, 2022. "How do tax compliance labels impact sharing platform consumers? An empirical study on the interplay of trust, moral, and intention to book," Information Systems and e-Business Management, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 409-439, September.
    14. Fox, William F. & Hargaden, Enda Patrick & Luna, LeAnn, 2022. "Statutory incidence and sales tax compliance: Evidence from Wayfair," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 213(C).
    15. Chengrui Xiao & Bo Zhou, 2023. "Property taxes and rental housing: Evidence from China," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 51(4), pages 931-958, July.
    16. Garz, Marcel & Schneider, Andrea, 2023. "Data sharing and tax enforcement: Evidence from short-term rentals in Denmark," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    17. Wei Cui & Nigar Hashimzade, 2019. "The Digital Services Tax as a Tax on Location-Specific Rent," CESifo Working Paper Series 7737, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • H22 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Incidence
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • L10 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - General

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