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Tax planning and investment responses to dividend taxation

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  • Aliisa Koivisto

    (VATT Institute for Economic Research)

Abstract

This study explores empirically how business owners respond to dividend taxes in a range of different margins including tax planning and investment. Using administrative tax data on all privately held Finnish corporations, I find exceptionally clear dividend payment responses to tax rate discontinuities and changes. Studying the income composition of owners around tax changes reveals clear income shifting between wage and dividends with negligible effect on gross income received from the firm. Evidence on the asset composition of firms indicates that a notable part of the payment response is due to inter-temporal income-smoothing, while I observe no statistically significant real responses in output or investment. Heterogeneity analysis suggests that more experienced owners and owners with lower income have higher tax base elasticities.

Suggested Citation

  • Aliisa Koivisto, 2025. "Tax planning and investment responses to dividend taxation," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 32(2), pages 347-386, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:itaxpf:v:32:y:2025:i:2:d:10.1007_s10797-024-09837-w
    DOI: 10.1007/s10797-024-09837-w
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Dividend taxation; Investment; Income shifting; Bunching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

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