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The Effects of Corporate Taxes on Small Firms

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  • Harju, Jarkko
  • Koivisto, Aliisa
  • Matikka, Tuomas

Abstract

We study the impact of corporate taxes on firm-level investments, total output and input usage by exploiting a 4.5 percentage-point corporate tax rate cut in Finland in 2014. We use detailed administrative data and a differences-in-differences method comparing small corporations (tax rate cut) to similar partnerships (no change in tax incentives). We find no significant investment responses. However, we observe an increase in annual sales and variable costs, suggesting that corporate tax rates have an effect on business activity. The effects are driven by entrepreneurs who actively work in their firm, suggesting that the tax cut increased entrepreneurial effort.

Suggested Citation

  • Harju, Jarkko & Koivisto, Aliisa & Matikka, Tuomas, 2020. "The Effects of Corporate Taxes on Small Firms," Working Papers 129, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:fer:wpaper:129
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    corporate taxation; investments; business activity; small firms; Social security; taxation and inequality; Business regulation and international economics; G31; G38; H21; H25; Elinkeinopolitiikka; Verotus;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

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