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Replacing Corporate Income Tax with a Cash Flow Tax

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  • Ross Garnaut
  • Craig Emerson
  • Reuben Finighan
  • Stephen Anthony

Abstract

We design a parsimonious cash flow tax for Australia and estimate revenue effects. It allows immediate deduction of all capital expenditures, denies deductions of interest payments, and compensates negative cash flows at the same rate and time as it taxes positive cash flows. It allows taxpayer timing choice on implementation over 10 years. It has incentive effects comparable to lowering the corporate income tax rate to zero. It removes distortions that artificially favour debt over equity, short‐ over long‐term investments, rents over competitive returns, large, established over small and new businesses, and conventional over innovative investments. It closes international tax evasion loopholes. Its spur to investment and timing of revenue impacts favours implementation in recession.

Suggested Citation

  • Ross Garnaut & Craig Emerson & Reuben Finighan & Stephen Anthony, 2020. "Replacing Corporate Income Tax with a Cash Flow Tax," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 53(4), pages 463-481, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ausecr:v:53:y:2020:i:4:p:463-481
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-8462.12385
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. John Freebairn, 2022. "Company Income Tax and Business Investment," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 55(3), pages 346-360, September.
    2. Paul J. Burke, 2023. "On the way out: Government revenues from fossil fuels in Australia," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 67(1), pages 1-17, January.

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