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The Effect of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 on the Location of Assets

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Author Info
Rosanne Altshuler () (Rutgers University, Department of Economics)
R. Glenn Hubbard () (Columbia University)

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Abstract

This paper examines the effects of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 on the international location decisions of U.S. financial services firms. The Act included rule changes that made it substantially more difficult for U.S. firms to defer U.S. taxes on overseas financial services income held in low-tax jurisdictions. These same rule changes were not applied to other forms of income; in particular, income generated from active manufacturing operations was still eligible for deferral after the Act. We use information from the tax returns of U.S. corporations to examine how local taxes affect the allocation of assets held abroad. We find that, before the Act, the location of assets in financial subsidiaries was responsive to differences in host country tax rates across jurisdictions. However, after the Act, differences in host country tax rates no longer explain the distribution of assets held in financial services subsidiaries abroad. In contrast, we find that assets held in manufacturing subsidiaries have become more sensitive to variations in tax rates. Our results suggest that the tightening of the anti-deferral provisions applicable to financial services companies has been successful in neutralizing the effect of host country income taxes on investment location decisions.

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Paper provided by Rutgers University, Department of Economics in its series Departmental Working Papers with number 200012.

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Date of creation: 27 Jan 2002
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Handle: RePEc:rut:rutres:200012

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Related research
Keywords: multinational; financial services; international taxation; investment policy; Tax Reform Act of 1986;

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm
H87 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - International Fiscal Issues; International Public Goods

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  1. Rosanne Altshuler & T. Scott Newlon, 1991. "The Effects of U.S. Tax Policy on the Income Repatriation Patterns of U.S. Multinational Corporations," NBER Working Papers 3925, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  2. Michael P. Devereux & R. Glenn Hubbard, 2000. "Taxing Multinationals," NBER Working Papers 7920, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  3. Jason Cummins & R. Glenn Hubbard, 1995. "The Tax Sensitivity of Foreign Direct Investment: Evidence from Firm-Level Panel Data," NBER Chapters, in: The Effects of Taxation on Multinational Corporations, pages 123-152 National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!]
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  4. Desai, Mihir A. & Hines Jr., James R., 1999. ""Basket cases": Tax incentives and international joint venture participation by American multinational firms," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 71(3), pages 379-402, March. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. James R. Hines, Jr. & R. Glenn Hubbard & R. Glenn Hubbard, 1995. "Appendix to "Taxing Multinational Corporations"," NBER Chapters, in: Taxing Multinational Corporations, pages 103-106 National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!]
  6. James R. Hines, Jr. & Eric M. Rice, 1994. "Fiscal Paradise: Foreign Tax Havens and American Business," NBER Working Papers 3477, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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