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The Effect of Tax-Motivated Transfer Pricing on U.S. Aggregate Trade Statistics: Working Paper 2019-05

Author

Listed:
  • Dorian Carloni
  • Daniel Fried
  • Molly Saunders-Scott

Abstract

The prices that multinational corporations set for transactions among international affiliates—referred to as transfer prices—play an important role in determining where income is taxed. Many factors affect how multinationals set their transfer prices, including tax considerations. If tax considerations affect transfer prices, then those changes in transfer prices may distort aggregate trade and income statistics. In this paper, we analyze how corporate income tax rates affect trade flows between the affiliates of multinationals—known as related-party trade—to examine

Suggested Citation

  • Dorian Carloni & Daniel Fried & Molly Saunders-Scott, 2019. "The Effect of Tax-Motivated Transfer Pricing on U.S. Aggregate Trade Statistics: Working Paper 2019-05," Working Papers 55284, Congressional Budget Office.
  • Handle: RePEc:cbo:wpaper:55284
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    File URL: https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2019-05/55284-Transfer%20Pricing-WP.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

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