IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/reaccs/v24y2019i2d10.1007_s11142-019-9484-4.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Using IRS data to identify income shifting to foreign affiliates

Author

Listed:
  • Lisa De Simone

    (Stanford Graduate School of Business)

  • Lillian F. Mills

    (The University of Texas at Austin)

  • Bridget Stomberg

    (Indiana University)

Abstract

Income shifting is a significant source of tax planning for U.S. corporations. We use confidential Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data to develop a firm-year measure of income shifting. Our measure captures the relative extent of U.S. multinational entity (MNE) net intercompany payments out of the United States to CFCs. Our data show that the majority of sample firms report net inbound intercompany payments on average. Sample firms report nearly $830 billion of outbound payments and over $1 trillion of inbound payments in total. Companies reporting net outbound payments are smaller and operate in high-tech industries. Supplemental analyses show that firms with outbound intercompany payments have a lower rate of IRS audit and are no more likely to be assessed additional taxes upon audit. Our study provides a measure based on publicly available data that researchers, investors, and policymakers can use to infer outbound income shifting.

Suggested Citation

  • Lisa De Simone & Lillian F. Mills & Bridget Stomberg, 2019. "Using IRS data to identify income shifting to foreign affiliates," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 24(2), pages 694-730, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:reaccs:v:24:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s11142-019-9484-4
    DOI: 10.1007/s11142-019-9484-4
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11142-019-9484-4
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11142-019-9484-4?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Collins, J & Kemsley, D & Lang, M, 1998. "Cross-jurisdictional income shifting and earnings valuation," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(2), pages 209-229.
    2. Huizinga, Harry & Laeven, Luc & Nicodeme, Gaetan, 2008. "Capital structure and international debt shifting," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 80-118, April.
    3. Huizinga, Harry & Laeven, Luc, 2008. "International profit shifting within multinationals: A multi-country perspective," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(5-6), pages 1164-1182, June.
    4. Zimmerman, Jerold L., 1983. "Taxes and firm size," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 5(1), pages 119-149, April.
    5. De Simone, Lisa & Klassen, Kenneth J. & Seidman, Jeri K., 2018. "The Effect of Income-Shifting Aggressiveness on Corporate Investment," Research Papers 3718, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    6. Gallemore, John & Labro, Eva, 2015. "The importance of the internal information environment for tax avoidance," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 149-167.
    7. Dharmapala, Dhammika & Riedel, Nadine, 2013. "Earnings shocks and tax-motivated income-shifting: Evidence from European multinationals," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 95-107.
    8. Anja De Waegenaere & Richard C. Sansing & Jacco L. Wielhouwer, 2006. "Who Benefits from Inconsistent Multinational Tax Transfer†Pricing Rules?," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 23(1), pages 103-131, March.
    9. Desai, Mihir A. & Foley, C. Fritz & Hines, James Jr., 2006. "The demand for tax haven operations," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(3), pages 513-531, February.
    10. Clausing, Kimberly A., 2003. "Tax-motivated transfer pricing and US intrafirm trade prices," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(9-10), pages 2207-2223, September.
    11. Holmstrom, Bengt & Tirole, Jean, 1991. "Transfer Pricing and Organizational Form," The Journal of Law, Economics, and Organization, Oxford University Press, vol. 7(2), pages 201-228, Fall.
    12. Morck, Randall & Yeung, Bernard, 1991. "Why Investors Value Multinationality," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 64(2), pages 165-187, April.
    13. Mills, LF, 1998. "Book-tax differences and internal revenue service adjustments," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(2), pages 343-356.
    14. Core, John E. & Guay, Wayne R. & Buskirk, Andrew Van, 2003. "Market valuations in the New Economy: an investigation of what has changed," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1-3), pages 43-67, January.
    15. Sonja Olhoft Rego, 2003. "Tax†Avoidance Activities of U.S. Multinational Corporations," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 20(4), pages 805-833, December.
    16. Griffith, Rachel & Miller, Helen & O'Connell, Martin, 2014. "Ownership of intellectual property and corporate taxation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 12-23.
    17. David Harris & Randall Morck & Joel B. Slemrod, 1993. "Income Shifting in U.S. Multinational Corporations," NBER Chapters, in: Studies in International Taxation, pages 277-308, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Francis, J & Schipper, K, 1999. "Have financial statements lost their relevance?," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 37(2), pages 319-352.
    19. Cristi A. Gleason & Lillian F. Mills, 2011. "Do Auditor†Provided Tax Services Improve the Estimate of Tax Reserves?," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(5), pages 1484-1509, December.
    20. James R. Hines & Eric M. Rice, 1994. "Fiscal Paradise: Foreign Tax Havens and American Business," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 109(1), pages 149-182.
    21. Giovannini, Alberto & Hubbard, R. Glenn & Slemrod, Joel (ed.), 1993. "Studies in International Taxation," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, edition 1, number 9780226297019, December.
    22. De Simone, Lisa & Lester, Rebecca, 2018. "The Effect of Foreign Cash Holdings on Internal Capital Markets and Firm FInancing," Research Papers 3700, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    23. Alexander Edwards & Todd Kravet & Ryan Wilson, 2016. "Trapped Cash and the Profitability of Foreign Acquisitions," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 33(1), pages 44-77, March.
    24. Harry Grubert & Joel Slemrod, 1998. "The Effect Of Taxes On Investment And Income Shifting To Puerto Rico," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 80(3), pages 365-373, August.
    25. Collins, Julie H. & Shackelford, Douglas A., 1997. "Global organizations and taxes: An analysis of the dividend, interest, royalty, and management fee payments between U.S. multinationals' foreign affiliates," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(2), pages 151-173, December.
    26. Tomohara, Akinori, 2004. "Inefficiencies of Bilateral Advanced Pricing Agreements (BAPA) in Taxing Multinational Companies," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 57(4), pages 863-873, December.
    27. Joe S. Bain, 1941. "The Profit Rate as a Measure of Monopoly Power," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 55(2), pages 271-293.
    28. repec:fth:michin:282 is not listed on IDEAS
    29. Charles J. Hadlock & Joshua R. Pierce, 2010. "New Evidence on Measuring Financial Constraints: Moving Beyond the KZ Index," Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(5), pages 1909-1940.
    30. Klassen, K & Lang, M & Wolfson, M, 1993. "Geographic Income Shifting By Multinational-Corporations In Response To Tax Rate Changes," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31, pages 141-173.
    31. Hanlon, Michelle & Lester, Rebecca & Verdi, Rodrigo, 2015. "The effect of repatriation tax costs on U.S. multinational investment," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 116(1), pages 179-196.
    32. Clausing, Kimberly A., 2006. "International Tax Avoidance and U.S. International Trade," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 59(2), pages 269-287, June.
    33. Kenneth J. Klassen & Stacie Kelley Laplante, 2012. "The Effect of Foreign Reinvestment and Financial Reporting Incentives on Cross†Jurisdictional Income Shifting," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(3), pages 928-955, September.
    34. Morck, Randall & Yeung, Bernard, 1992. "Internalization : An event study test," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(1-2), pages 41-56, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Nouf Binhadab & Robert Gillanders & Thomas McCluskey, 2023. "A clean and discreet service: The role of corruption and secrecy in profit shifting by multinational firms," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 35(7), pages 1551-1573, October.
    2. Harald J. Amberger & Saskia Kohlhase, 2023. "International taxation and the organizational form of foreign direct investment," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 54(8), pages 1529-1561, October.
    3. Lartey, Theophilus & Uddin, Moshfique & Danso, Albert & Wood, Geoffrey, 2022. "CEO overconfidence and IRS attention," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    4. Matteo Borrotti & Michele Rabasco & Alessandro Santoro, 2022. "Using Accounting Information to Predict Aggressive Tax Placement Decisions by European Groups," Working Papers 488, University of Milano-Bicocca, Department of Economics, revised Feb 2022.
    5. De Simone, Lisa & Klassen, Kenneth J. & Seidman, Jeri K., 2022. "The effect of income-shifting aggressiveness on corporate investment," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(1).
    6. Elemes, Anastasios & Blaylock, Bradley & Spence, Crawford, 2021. "Tax-motivated profit shifting in big 4 networks: Evidence from Europe," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    7. Belnap, Andrew, 2023. "The effect of intermediary coverage on disclosure: Evidence from a randomized field experiment," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(1).
    8. Zero Deng, 2020. "Foreign Exchange Risk, Hedging, and Tax‐Motivated Outbound Income Shifting," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(4), pages 953-987, September.
    9. Dane M. Christensen & David G. Kenchington & Rick C. Laux, 2022. "How do most low ETR firms avoid paying taxes?," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 570-606, June.
    10. Delis, Fotios & Economidou, Claire & Hasan, Iftekhar, 2022. "Democracy, Institutions, and International Profit-Shifting," MPRA Paper 111715, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Lisa De Simone & Jordan Nickerson & Jeri Seidman & Bridget Stomberg, 2020. "How Reliably Do Empirical Tests Identify Tax Avoidance?†," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 37(3), pages 1536-1561, September.
    12. Dain C. Donelson & Jennifer L. Glenn & Christopher G. Yust, 2022. "Is tax aggressiveness associated with tax litigation risk? Evidence from D&O Insurance," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 27(2), pages 519-569, June.
    13. Borrotti, Matteo & Rabasco, Michele & Santoro, Alessandro, 2023. "Using accounting information to predict aggressive tax location decisions by European groups," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 47(3).
    14. Abdullah Almutairi & Baban Eulaiwi & Robert Evans & Grantley Taylor, 2023. "Tax Haven Use and Related‐Party Transactions: Evidence from Australia," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 33(4), pages 352-374, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. De Simone, Lisa & Klassen, Kenneth J. & Seidman, Jeri K., 2022. "The effect of income-shifting aggressiveness on corporate investment," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(1).
    2. Overesch Michael, 2016. "Steuervermeidung multinationaler Unternehmen," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 17(2), pages 129-143, July.
    3. Sebastian Beer & Ruud de Mooij & Li Liu, 2020. "International Corporate Tax Avoidance: A Review Of The Channels, Magnitudes, And Blind Spots," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(3), pages 660-688, July.
    4. De Simone, Lisa, 2016. "Does a common set of accounting standards affect tax-motivated income shifting for multinational firms?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 145-165.
    5. Hope, Ole-Kristian & Ma, Mark (Shuai) & Thomas, Wayne B., 2013. "Tax avoidance and geographic earnings disclosure," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 170-189.
    6. Cooper, Maggie & Nguyen, Quyen T.K., 2020. "Multinational enterprises and corporate tax planning: A review of literature and suggestions for a future research agenda," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(3).
    7. Cooper, Maggie & Nguyen, Quyen T.K., 2019. "Understanding the interaction of motivation and opportunity for tax planning inside US multinationals: A qualitative study," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 54(6), pages 1-1.
    8. Jost H. Heckemeyer & Michael Overesch, 2017. "Multinationals’ profit response to tax differentials: Effect size and shifting channels," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 50(4), pages 965-994, November.
    9. Thomsen, Martin & Watrin, Christoph, 2018. "Tax avoidance over time: A comparison of European and U.S. firms," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 40-63.
    10. An, Zhiyong & Tan, Congyan, 2014. "Taxation and income shifting: Empirical evidence from a quasi-experiment in China," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 38(4), pages 588-596.
    11. Dischinger, Matthias & Riedel, Nadine, 2011. "Corporate taxes and the location of intangible assets within multinational firms," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(7-8), pages 691-707, August.
    12. Vincent Bouvatier & Gunther Capelle-Blancard & Anne-Laure Delatte, 2017. "Banks Defy Gravity in Tax Havens," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-03101505, HAL.
    13. De Simone, Lisa & Piotroski, Joseph D. & Tomy, Rimmy E., 2017. "Repatriation Taxes and Foreign Cash Holdings: The Impact of Anticipated Tax Policy," Research Papers 3507, Stanford University, Graduate School of Business.
    14. Anna Gumpert & James R. Hines, Jr. & Monika Schnitzer, 2011. "The Use of Tax Havens in Exemption Regimes," NBER Working Papers 17644, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Brandstetter, Laura, 2014. "Do corporate tax cuts reduce international profit shifting," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 162, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    16. Schulte Sasse, Katharina & Watrin, Christoph & Weiß, Falko, 2020. "The alignment between reported profits and real activity in times of the BEPS Action Plan," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 40(C).
    17. Michael P Devereux, 2007. "The Impact of Taxation on the Location of Capital, Firms and Profit: a Survey of Empirical Evidence," Working Papers 0702, Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation.
    18. Ulrich Schreiber, 2015. "Investitionseffekte des BEPS Aktionsplans der OECD," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 67(1), pages 102-127, February.
    19. Sabine Schenkelberg, 2020. "The Cadbury Schweppes judgment and its implications on profit shifting activities within Europe," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(1), pages 1-31, February.
    20. Ji Lee, Ye & Seon Yoo, Ji, 2023. "Loss expectation and income shifting," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    IRS audit; Tax avoidance; International tax; Income shifting;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:reaccs:v:24:y:2019:i:2:d:10.1007_s11142-019-9484-4. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.