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Tax evasion, efficiency, and bunching in the presence of enforcement notches

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  • Daniel Hungerman

    (University of Notre Dame and NBER)

Abstract

A recent literature has studied bunching at notches in tax systems; but work on the implications of bunching for welfare has been limited. We consider a setting where there are discrete changes in the enforcement of tax compliance at certain levels of reported income, creating notches that can lead to bunching. We find that greater levels of bunching can be associated with greater tax efficiency. A simulation exercise demonstrates that notches with greater bunching can be associated with higher welfare than notches with less bunching, and that a tax system with bunching at a notch can generate higher overall social welfare than a revenue-equivalent no-evasion linear tax.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Hungerman, 2023. "Tax evasion, efficiency, and bunching in the presence of enforcement notches," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(1), pages 43-68, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:itaxpf:v:30:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1007_s10797-021-09710-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s10797-021-09710-0
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    2. Agneša Víghová, 2022. "Detection of tax evasion using tax audits in the Slovak Republic," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 10(1), pages 214-225, September.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Bunching; Notches; Evasion;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance

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