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Enforcing Wealth Taxes in the Developing World: Quasi-experimental Evidence from Colombia

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  • Juliana Londoño-Vélez
  • Javier Ávila-Mahecha

Abstract

This paper investigates the feasibility of wealth taxation in developing countries. It uses rich administrative data from Colombia and leverages a government-designed program for voluntary disclosures of hidden wealth as well as the threat of detection triggered by the Panama Papers leak. There are two key findings. First, there is substantial (primarily offshore) evasion: two-fifths of the wealthiest 0.01 percent evade taxes, with these evaders concealing one-third of their wealth offshore. Second, strengthening enforcement can have a significant impact on wealth tax compliance, tax revenue, and progressivity. These results highlight both challenges and opportunities for wealth taxation in the developing world.

Suggested Citation

  • Juliana Londoño-Vélez & Javier Ávila-Mahecha, 2021. "Enforcing Wealth Taxes in the Developing World: Quasi-experimental Evidence from Colombia," American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association, vol. 3(2), pages 131-148, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aerins:v:3:y:2021:i:2:p:131-48
    DOI: 10.1257/aeri.20200319
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Gadenne, Lucie & Jensen, Anders & Bachas, Pierre, 2020. "Informality, Consumption Taxes and Redistribution," CEPR Discussion Papers 14945, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Javier Olivera & Philippe Kerm, 2022. "Public support for tax policies in COVID-19 times: evidence from Luxembourg," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(6), pages 1395-1418, December.
    3. Devarajan,Shantayanan & Do,Quy-Toan, 2021. "Taxation, Accountability, and Cash Transfers : Breaking the Resource Curse," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9880, The World Bank.
    4. Annette Alstadsæter & Marie Bjørneby & Wojciech Kopczuk & Simen Markussen & Knut Røed, 2022. "Saving Effects of a Real-Life Imperfectly Implemented Wealth Tax: Evidence from Norwegian Micro Data," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 112, pages 63-67, May.
    5. Thomas Blanchet, 2022. "Uncovering the Dynamics of the Wealth Distribution," Papers 2211.15509, arXiv.org.
    6. Devarajan, Shantayanan & Do, Quy-Toan, 2023. "Taxation, accountability, and cash transfers: Breaking the resource curse," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    7. Jakurti, Edison & Süssmuth, Bernd, 2023. "Behavioral responses to wealth taxes: Evidence from the Spanish Survey of Household Finances," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    8. Silvia Marchesi & Giovanna Marcolongo, 2023. "Knockin' on H(e)aven's door. Financial crises and hidden wealth," Working Papers 518, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics.
    9. Juliana Londoño-Vélez & Javier Avila-Mahecha, 2024. "Behavioral Responses to Wealth Taxation: Evidence from Colombia," NBER Working Papers 32134, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • G51 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Household Savings, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • K34 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Tax Law
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

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