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Salience and the Elasticity of Taxable Income: Evidence from Top-bracket Tax Reforms

Author

Listed:
  • Xavier Dufour
  • Pierre-Carl Michaud
  • Michael G. Smart

Abstract

We estimate heterogeneous responses to top-bracket tax reforms using a triple-difference design that exploits variation in tax rate changes and the thresholds at which they apply. This strategy identifies behavioral responses even in the presence of unobservable shocks to the income distribution. Higher-income taxpayers respond more to top-rate changes, but our results indicate that this reflects the salience of the reforms—the larger mechanical change in average tax rates at higher incomes—rather than heterogeneity in substitution elasticities. We discuss implications for the revenue and distributional effects of top-bracket tax reforms.

Suggested Citation

  • Xavier Dufour & Pierre-Carl Michaud & Michael G. Smart, 2026. "Salience and the Elasticity of Taxable Income: Evidence from Top-bracket Tax Reforms," NBER Working Papers 34731, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:34731
    Note: PE
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies

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