IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ces/ceswps/_8830.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Profit Taxation and Bank Risk Taking

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Kogler

Abstract

How can tax policy improve financial stability? Recent studies suggest large stability gains from eliminating the debt bias in corporate taxation. It is well known that this reform reduces bank leverage. This paper analyzes a novel, complementary channel: risk taking. We model banks’ portfolio choice under moral hazard and emphasize the ‘incentive function’ of equity. We find that (i) an allowance for corporate equity (ACE) and a lower tax rate discourage risk taking and offer stability and welfare gains, (ii) a revenue-neutral ACE unambiguously improves financial stability, and (iii) capital regulation and deposit insurance influence the risk-taking effects of taxation.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Kogler, 2021. "Profit Taxation and Bank Risk Taking," CESifo Working Paper Series 8830, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_8830
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp8830.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Horvath, B.L., 2013. "The impact of Taxation on Bank Leverage and Asset Risk," Discussion Paper 2013-076, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
    2. Jose Martin‐Flores & Christophe Moussu, 2019. "Is bank capital sensitive to a tax allowance on marginal equity?," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 25(2), pages 325-357, March.
    3. Repullo, Rafael, 2004. "Capital requirements, market power, and risk-taking in banking," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 156-182, April.
    4. Haufler, Andreas & Schjelderup, Guttorm, 2000. "Corporate Tax Systems and Cross Country Profit Shifting," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 52(2), pages 306-325, April.
    5. Hakenes, Hendrik & Schnabel, Isabel, 2011. "Capital regulation, bank competition, and financial stability," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 113(3), pages 256-258.
    6. Thomas Hemmelgarn & Daniel Teichmann, 2014. "Tax reforms and the capital structure of banks," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 21(4), pages 645-693, August.
    7. Keeley, Michael C, 1990. "Deposit Insurance, Risk, and Market Power in Banking," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(5), pages 1183-1200, December.
    8. Ruud A. De Mooij & Michael Keen, 2016. "Debt, Taxes, and Banks," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 48(1), pages 5-33, February.
    9. Alexander Ljungqvist & Liandong Zhang & Luo Zuo, 2017. "Sharing Risk with the Government: How Taxes Affect Corporate Risk Taking," Journal of Accounting Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(3), pages 669-707, June.
    10. Schepens, Glenn, 2016. "Taxes and bank capital structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(3), pages 585-600.
    11. Enrico Perotti & Javier Suarez, 2011. "A Pigovian Approach to Liquidity Regulation," International Journal of Central Banking, International Journal of Central Banking, vol. 7(4), pages 3-41, December.
    12. John H. Boyd & Gianni De Nicoló, 2005. "The Theory of Bank Risk Taking and Competition Revisited," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 60(3), pages 1329-1343, June.
    13. Repullo, Rafael, 2013. "Cyclical adjustment of capital requirements: A simple framework," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 608-626.
    14. Michael Devereux & Niels Johannesen & John Vella, 2019. "Can Taxes Tame the Banks? Evidence from the European Bank Levies," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 129(624), pages 3058-3091.
    15. Auerbach, Alan J., 2002. "Taxation and corporate financial policy," Handbook of Public Economics, in: A. J. Auerbach & M. Feldstein (ed.), Handbook of Public Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 19, pages 1251-1292, Elsevier.
    16. Bonds, Stephen R. & Devereux, Michael P., 1995. "On the design of a neutral business tax under uncertainty," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1), pages 57-71, September.
    17. Eeckhoudt, Louis & Gollier, Christian & Schlesinger, Harris, 1997. "The no-loss offset provision and the attitude towards risk of a risk-neutral firm," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(2), pages 207-217, August.
    18. Leonardo Gambacorta & Giacomo Ricotti & Suresh Sundaresan & Zhenyu Wang, 2017. "The effects of tax on bank liability structure," BIS Working Papers 611, Bank for International Settlements.
    19. A. J. Auerbach & M. Feldstein (ed.), 2002. "Handbook of Public Economics," Handbook of Public Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 4, number 4.
    20. Kick, Thomas & Celerier, Claire & Ongena, Steven, 2017. "Changes in the Cost of Bank Equity and the Supply of Bank Credit," VfS Annual Conference 2017 (Vienna): Alternative Structures for Money and Banking 168164, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    21. Besanko, David & Kanatas, George, 1996. "The Regulation of Bank Capital: Do Capital Standards Promote Bank Safety?," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 5(2), pages 160-183, April.
    22. Grace Gu & Ruud Mooij & Tigran Poghosyan, 2015. "Taxation and leverage in international banking," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 22(2), pages 177-200, April.
    23. Becker, Johannes & Johannesen, Niels & Riedel, Nadine, 2020. "Taxation and the allocation of risk inside the multinational firm," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    24. Steve Bond & Kyung Yeon Ham & Giorgia Maffini & Andrea Nobili & Giacomo Ricotti, 2016. "Regulation, tax and capital structure: evidence from administrative data on Italian banks," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 361, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    25. Sven Langedijk & Gaëtan Nicodème & Andrea Pagano & Alessandro Rossi, 2014. "Debt Bias in Corporate Taxation and the Costs of Banking Crises in the EU," Taxation Papers 50, Directorate General Taxation and Customs Union, European Commission.
    26. Nicodème, Gaëtan & Langedijk, Sven & Rossi, Alessandro & Pagano, Andrea, 2015. "Debt Bias in Corporate Income Taxation and the Costs of Banking Crises," CEPR Discussion Papers 10616, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    27. Douglas W. Diamond, 1984. "Financial Intermediation and Delegated Monitoring," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 51(3), pages 393-414.
    28. A. J. Auerbach & M. Feldstein (ed.), 2002. "Handbook of Public Economics," Handbook of Public Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 3, number 3.
    29. Evsey D. Domar & Richard A. Musgrave, 1944. "Proportional Income Taxation and Risk-Taking," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 58(3), pages 388-422.
    30. Bond, Stephen R. & Devereux, Michael P., 2003. "Generalised R-based and S-based taxes under uncertainty," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(5-6), pages 1291-1311, May.
    31. John R. Graham, 2003. "Taxes and Corporate Finance: A Review," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 16(4), pages 1075-1129.
    32. Merton, Robert C., 1977. "An analytic derivation of the cost of deposit insurance and loan guarantees An application of modern option pricing theory," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 1(1), pages 3-11, June.
    33. Kevin C. Murdock & Thomas F. Hellmann & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 2000. "Liberalization, Moral Hazard in Banking, and Prudential Regulation: Are Capital Requirements Enough?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 90(1), pages 147-165, March.
    34. Rochet, Jean-Charles, 1992. "Capital requirements and the behaviour of commercial banks," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 1137-1170, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Bremus, Franziska & Schmidt, Kirsten & Tonzer, Lena, 2020. "Interactions between bank levies and corporate taxes: How is bank leverage affected?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 118.
    2. Stefan Arping, 2014. "Does Competition make Banks more Risk-seeking?," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 14-059/IV, Tinbergen Institute.
    3. Kogler, Michael, 2015. "Rewarding Prudence: Risk Taking, Pecuniary Externalities and Optimal Bank Regulation," Economics Working Paper Series 1512, University of St. Gallen, School of Economics and Political Science.
    4. Kogler, Michael, 2020. "Risk shifting and the allocation of capital: A Rationale for macroprudential regulation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    5. Christian Keuschnigg & Martin Dietz, 2007. "A growth oriented dual income tax," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 14(2), pages 191-221, April.
    6. Horváth, Bálint L., 2020. "The interaction of bank regulation and taxation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    7. Dautović, Ernest, 2019. "Has regulatory capital made banks safer? Skin in the game vs moral hazard," ESRB Working Paper Series 91, European Systemic Risk Board.
    8. Yun Luo & Sailesh Tanna, 2014. "Taxation and bank risk-taking," Chapters, in: Sajid M. Chaudhry & Andrew W Mullineux (ed.), Taxing Banks Fairly, chapter 2, pages 31-53, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    9. Hugonnier, Julien & Morellec, Erwan, 2017. "Bank capital, liquid reserves, and insolvency risk," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 125(2), pages 266-285.
    10. Andreas Haufler & Christoph Lülfesmann, 2022. "Voluntary Equity, Project Risk, and Capital Requirements," CESifo Working Paper Series 9505, CESifo.
    11. Sobiech, Anna L. & Chronopoulos, Dimitris K. & Wilson, John O.S., 2021. "The real effects of bank taxation: Evidence for corporate financing and investment," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    12. Milton Harris & Christian Opp & Marcus Opp, 2020. "The Aggregate Demand for Bank Capital," NBER Working Papers 27858, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. Muhammad Suhail Rizwan & Muhammad Moinuddin & Barbara L’Huillier & Dawood Ashraf, 2018. "Does a one-size-fits-all approach to financial regulations alleviate default risk? The case of dual banking systems," Journal of Regulatory Economics, Springer, vol. 53(1), pages 37-74, February.
    14. Serena Fatica & Wouter Heynderickx & Andrea Pagano, 2020. "Banks, Debt And Risk: Assessing The Spillovers Of Corporate Taxes," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 58(2), pages 1023-1044, April.
    15. Steve Bond & Kyung Yeon Ham & Giorgia Maffini & Andrea Nobili & Giacomo Ricotti, 2016. "Regulation, tax and capital structure: evidence from administrative data on Italian banks," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 361, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    16. Berger, Allen N. & Bouwman, Christa H.S., 2013. "How does capital affect bank performance during financial crises?," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(1), pages 146-176.
    17. Carletti, Elena & De Marco, Filippo & Ioannidou, Vasso & Sette, Enrico, 2021. "Banks as patient lenders: Evidence from a tax reform," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(1), pages 6-26.
    18. Bellucci, Andrea & Fatica, Serena & Heynderickx, Wouter & Kvedaras, Virmantas & Pagano, Andrea, 2023. "Liability taxes, risk, and the cost of banking crises," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    19. Burietz, A. & Ongena, S. & Picault, M., 2023. "Taxing banks leverage and syndicated lending: A cross-country comparison," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    20. Wu, Ji & Guo, Mengmeng & Chen, Minghua & Jeon, Bang Nam, 2019. "Market power and risk-taking of banks: Some semiparametric evidence from emerging economies," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    corporate taxation; tax reform; banking; risk taking; financial stability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • G28 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:ces:ceswps:_8830. 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: Klaus Wohlrabe (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cesifde.html .

    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.