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Did the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Reduce Profit Shifting by US Multinational Companies?

Author

Listed:
  • Javier Garcia-Bernardo

    (Utrecht University)

  • Gabriel Zucman

    (UC Berkeley and EU Tax Observatory)

  • Petr Janský

    (Charles University)

Abstract

The 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act reduced the US corporate tax rate and introduced provisions to curb profit shifting. We combine survey data, tax data, and firm financial statements to study the evolution of the geographical allocation of US firms’ profits after the reform. The share of profits booked abroad by US multinationals fell 3–5 percentage points, driven by repatriations of intellectual property to the US. The share of foreign profits booked in tax havens remained stable around 50% between 2015 and 2020. Changes in the global allocation of profits are small overall, but some firms responded strongly.

Suggested Citation

  • Javier Garcia-Bernardo & Gabriel Zucman & Petr Janský, 2022. "Did the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Reduce Profit Shifting by US Multinational Companies?," Working Papers 003, EU Tax Observatory.
    • Handle: RePEc:dbp:wpaper:003
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Katarzyna Anna Bilicka, 2019. "Comparing UK Tax Returns of Foreign Multinationals to Matched Domestic Firms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(8), pages 2921-2953, August.
    2. Mr. Nigel A Chalk & Mr. Michael Keen & Ms. Victoria J Perry, 2018. "The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act: An Appraisal," IMF Working Papers 2018/185, International Monetary Fund.
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    Cited by:

    1. Giulia Aliprandi & Alice Chiocchetti & Manon Francois & Laure Heidmann, 2025. "Shift or Share? Anatomy of Profit Shifting and Distributional Effects on Workers," CESifo Working Paper Series 12202, CESifo.
    2. Chen, Yilan & Lei, Shaohai, 2025. "Tax avoidance opportunity for multinational enterprises: effects of digitalized tax administration in China," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    3. Albertus, James F. & Glover, Brent & Levine, Oliver, 2025. "The real and financial effects of internal liquidity: Evidence from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    4. Dhammika Dharmapala, 2024. "The consequences of the 2017 US international tax reform: a survey of the evidence," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 31(4), pages 1158-1178, August.
    5. Joana Andrade Vicente, . "Arguments for implementing formulary apportionment in the European Union," UNCTAD Transnational Corporations Journal, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    6. Nabavi Pardis & Nordström Martin, 2023. "The Impact Assessment of Implementing a Global Minimum Tax for MNEs in Sweden," Nordic Tax Journal, Sciendo, vol. 2023(1), pages 111-123, December.
    7. De Vito, Antonio & Hillmann, Lisa & Jacob, Martin & Vossebürger, Robert, 2025. "Do personal income taxes affect corporate tax-motivated profit shifting?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(2).
    8. Dyrda, Sebastian & Hong, Guangbin & Steinberg, Joseph B., 2024. "A macroeconomic perspective on taxing multinational enterprises," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    9. Michael Overesch & Dirk Schindler & Georg Wamser, 2024. "Design and Consequences of CFC and GILTI Rules: A Review and Potential Lessons for the Global Minimum Tax," CESifo Working Paper Series 11018, CESifo.
    10. Lompo, Miaba Louise & Ouoba, Marie Madeleine, 2022. "How they hide money? An investigation on tax evasion of large corporations and wealthy taxpayers," MPRA Paper 114235, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    11. Eulaiwi, Baban & Alghamdi, Fatmah Saeed & Al-Hadi, Ahmed & Duong, Lien & Taylor, Grantley, 2024. "U.S. multinational corporations' income shifting incentives and share repurchases: Evidence across differential taxation systems," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    12. Javier Garcia-Bernardo & Petr Janský & Thomas Tørsløv, 2023. "Effective tax rates of multinational corporations: Country-level estimates," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(11), pages 1-19, November.
    13. Garcia-Bernardo, Javier & Janský, Petr, 2024. "Profit shifting of multinational corporations worldwide," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    14. Christine L. Dobridge & Patrick Kennedy & Paul Landefeld & Jacob Mortenson, 2023. "The TCJA and Domestic Corporate Tax Rates," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2023-078, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    15. Jonathan S. Hartley & Kevin A. Hassett & Joshua D. Rauh, 2025. "Firm Investment and the User Cost of Capital: New US Corporate Tax Reform Evidence," NBER Chapters, in: Tax Policy and the Economy, Volume 40, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    16. Katarzyna Bilicka & Michael Devereux & Irem Güçeri, 2023. "Tax-Avoidance Networks and the Push for a “Historic” Global Tax Reform," Tax Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 37(1), pages 57-108.
    17. Lompo, Miaba Louise & Ouoba, Marie Madeleine, 2022. "How they hide money? An investigation on tax evasion of large corporations and wealthy taxpayers," MPRA Paper 113410, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    18. Giulia Aliprandi & Gerrit von Zedlitz, 2023. "Benchmarking Country-by-Country Reports," Working Papers halshs-04103852, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • F23 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Multinational Firms; International Business
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm

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