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Tax Losses and Ex-Ante Offshore Transfer of Intellectual Property

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Listed:
  • Rishi R. Sharma
  • Joel Slemrod
  • Michael Stimmelmayr

Abstract

We develop a positive model of multinational firm behavior and analyze a firm’s incentive to transfer an intellectual property (IP) right of uncertain value offshore ex ante, i.e. before its success or failure is realized. With an asymmetric treatment of losses in the home country, the multinational firm will transfer its IP to a foreign low-tax country to avoid potentially negative profits at home. In addition, similar incentives exist to transfer the IP to a jurisdiction where tax rates are comparable or even higher than at home if the foreign jurisdiction offers a more symmetric treatment of losses.

Suggested Citation

  • Rishi R. Sharma & Joel Slemrod & Michael Stimmelmayr, 2021. "Tax Losses and Ex-Ante Offshore Transfer of Intellectual Property," CESifo Working Paper Series 9262, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_9262
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    Cited by:

    1. Haufler, Andreas & Schindler, Dirk, 2023. "Attracting profit shifting or fostering innovation? On patent boxes and R&D subsidies," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    intellectual property; corporate taxation; loss-offset; tax avoidance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

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