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Tax Rate Cuts and Tax Compliance—The Laffer Curve Revisited

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  • Tamás K. Papp
  • Elöd Takáts

Abstract

The paper shows how tax rate cuts can increase revenues by improving tax compliance. The intuition is that tax evasion has externalities: tax evaders protect each other, because they tie down limited enforcement capacity. Thus, relatively small tax rate cuts, which decrease incentives to evade taxes, can lead to increased revenues through spillovers - creating Laffer effects. Interestingly, tax rate cuts here imply increasing effective taxes. The model is consistent with what happened in Russia, and may provide basis for further thinking about tax rate cuts in other countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Tamás K. Papp & Elöd Takáts, 2008. "Tax Rate Cuts and Tax Compliance—The Laffer Curve Revisited," IMF Working Papers 2008/007, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2008/007
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    3. Stanisław Cichocki & Ryszard Kokoszczyński, 2016. "The evolution of the Laffer curve as a framework for studying tax evasion: from simple theoretical to DSGE models," Ekonomia journal, Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Warsaw, vol. 45.
    4. Jiao Li & Duccio Gamannossi Degl’Innocenti & Matthew D. Rablen, 2021. "Marketed Tax Avoidance Schemes: An Economic Analysis," Working Papers 2021010, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    5. Cintra, Marcos, 2009. "Bank transactions: pathway to the single tax ideal A modern tax technology;the Brazilian experience with a bank transactions tax (1993-2007)," MPRA Paper 16710, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Tandon, Suranjali & Rao, R. Kavita, 2017. "Tax Compliance in India: An Experimental Approach," Working Papers 17/207, National Institute of Public Finance and Policy.
    7. Boștină Florin, 2017. "A VAR Analysis Regarding Tax Evasion and Tax Pressure in Romania," Ovidius University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, Ovidius University of Constantza, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 0(2), pages 505-509, December.
    8. Rajat Deb & Tapash Paul & Jaharlal Debbarma & Kiran Sankar Chakraborty, 2020. "Breaking the Stigma of Health Insurance," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 45(1), pages 54-84, February.

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