The Tax Paradox and Weak Tax Neutrality

We introduce the concept of weak tax neutrality that establishes that the relationship between the tax rate and the user cost of capital may be non-monotonic. We show that most existing corporate tax systems allow for weak neutrality. That is, given the tax allowances permitted by these systems, it is possible that neutrality may arise for at least one positive corporate tax rate. Moreover, we show the practical relevance of weak neutrality in realistic situations where there are several asset types and heterogeneous levels of firms' debt ratios.     

不对称信息条件下征纳双方税收筹划的博弈

税收筹划作为一种节税行为应当符合相关的法律规定。但在现实条件下,由于政府征税与纳税人追求最大利益是相违背的,双方就形成了一种博弈关系。政府在实际征管中要考虑政府的政策选择和纳税人对此的反应和行为选择;纳税人在实行筹划行为时会权衡自己所能得到的利益和可能受到的惩罚,双方博弈的后果最终会达到一种均衡,使得征纳双方都能接受。     

个人所得税纳税筹划的相关问题研究

纳税筹划是指在纳税行为发生之前,在不违反相关法律、法规的前提下,对涉税事务进行事先策划,达到少缴税和递延缴税的目的。随着经济的发展,个人所得税的纳税筹划也越来越多的受到人们的重视。本文从纳税人、计税依据、税率、优惠政策入手,探讨个人所得税纳税筹划的各种技巧。     

新企业所得税法六大税收筹划策略

随着2008年1月1日新企业所得税法的实施,企业所得税的税收筹划策略将会发生很大的变化。本文就新企业所得税法提出了六大税收筹划策略,即企业组织形式的筹划、总分支机构的筹划、计税依据的筹划、税率的筹划、税收优惠的筹划和关联交易的筹划。     

个人所得税税前扣除与税收公平原则

税收具有筹集财政收入和调节经济、调节分配的职能。个人所得税既影响着一个国家的财政收入，又与国民生活质量息息相关，是各国政府十分重视的问题。由于我国在个人所得税领域的税前扣除项目采取的是完全不考虑纳税人的自然状况、家庭负担的扣除方式等，导致了对税收公平原则的违背，直接影响我国建设和谐社会的宏伟目标。对之，一些国家的做法值得我们借鉴。     

The Three Hurdles of Tax Planning: How Business Context,Aims of Tax Planning,and Tax Manager Power Affect Tax Expense

The question of why some companies pay fewer taxes than others is a widely investigated topic of interest. One of the well‐known explanations is a phenomenon called tax avoidance. We develop a grounded theory model of influences on corporate tax planning through a series of 19 in‐depth German tax expert interviews. Our research identifies three independent hurdles in the tax planning process, which can help to explain different levels of tax expense across companies. Those three hurdles sequentially address which tax planning methods are available (defined by business characteristics), desirable (given via aims of tax planning), and implementable (determined by tax manager power). A large part of previous research has estimated the influence of firm characteristics, which we incorporate in the broader term business characteristics, on tax expense, while the other influences that we identify have largely been left “out of the equation.” In the light of the current public debates on tax avoidance, we reveal two important findings: First, we find that companies vary widely in the aggressiveness of their aims of tax planning, which contrasts sharply with the picture often drawn by undifferentiated media reports. Second, tax managers can assume very different levels of power in their organization. The implementation of desirable tax planning methods varies depending on this level of tax manager power. In conclusion, our three‐hurdle grounded theory provides generalizable insights into important influences on corporate tax planning which help to explain the observed variation in tax expenses across firms.     

Optimal Tax Theory: The Journey from the Negative Income Tax to the Earned Income Tax Credit

What lessons do we learn from optimal tax theory for the design of income redistribution programs? I modify a standard model of optimal nonlinear income taxation with discrete types to consider differences in both earning ability and the disutility of effort. This gives a role for “workfare” in the optimal tax policy. The existence of screening mechanisms can play a role in explaining non‐participation in cash and in‐kind redistribution programs, including Progresa‐Oportunidades, Lifeline Telephone subsidies, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Stigma can increase efficiency of a redistribution program by discouraging participation by individuals near the eligibility thresholds. The Family Assistance Program proposed in the early 1970s lacked adequate stigma for nonworkers, which contributed to a lack of political support. In contrast, the current Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) provides greater benefits to workers than to nonworkers. Thus the EITC does not require any stigma to screen out individuals who do not work from obtaining benefits. Reasons for separate income support programs for nonworkers and for workers are discussed.     

Tax Level and Tax Internalization Effects on Union Wage Bargaining

High taxes and generous social benefits are often blamed for causing unemployment. The conventional view is that if taxes on labour are (too) high, jobs will be lost and that generous social benefits will exert an upward pressure on unions' wage claims. In the case where unions co-ordinate their wage bargaining strategy, this need not be the case. A simple model is used to illustrate the effects of the tax rate level and tax internalization on unions' wage bargaining strategy. A high marginal tax rate along with endogeneity of the average tax rate shifts the union's trade-off between wages and employment in favour of the latter. These shifts may have contributed to the success of the so-called polder model or tulip model of the Netherlands.     

物业税税临城下

10月12日,国家税务总局相关负责人在税务总局前三季度税收情况新闻发布会上表示,目前正在积极稳妥地进行物业税出台前的准备工作。该负责人表示,开征物业税政策性比较强,而我国地区间经济发展差异大、房地产产权管理情况复杂,因此要在立法前进行更多的研究,从技术上为物业税的开征做好准备。     

个人所得税对收入分配的影响:由税收累进性和平均税率观察

个人所得税收入调节作用的发挥取决于税制的累进程度和平均税率。从税收累进性和平均税率两方面对我国个人所得税的再分配效应进行解析,得到以下三点基本判断:第一,我国个人所得税的法定累进水平和实际累进水平均已达到发达国家水平;第二,我国个人所得税的平均税率大大低于世界平均水平;第三,我国个人所得税的再分配力度非常小,而平均税率过低是制约我国个人所得税收入调节功能发挥的最主要障碍。因此加强个人所得税收入调节功能的关键是在坚持综合课税改革方向的基础上,通过完善税收征管,不断拓宽个人所得税的课税面、提高其占个人收入的比重。     

基于税收信息化对企业纳税遵从的影响研究

实践证明,税收信息化对提高税收的遵从水平具有一定的显著效果.本文在我国税收信息化现有研究基础上,结合其时代背景,运用税收遵从相关的理论,分析新时代信息化发展的大背景下我国纳税人纳税遵从现状,找出当前企业税收不严格遵从的原因,并针对其存在的问题,提出完善"互联网+税务"服务平台、拓展大数据在税收征管中的应用领域等相关的提高企业纳税遵从的对策和建议,希望对提高我国新时代纳税人纳税遵从度具有一定的指导性和参考价值.     

消费税能成为地方政府主体税种吗

本文分析了中国地方政府的税收结构,“营改增”全面推开后地方政府主体税种面临缺失,得出构建地方政府主体税种的必要性;从税权划分、税源分配和税收调节功能三个方面分析了消费税作为地方主体税种的可行性;指出消费税成为地方政府主体税种面临的难题.     

税制特征与税收遵从:一个经验分析

税制特征与税收遵从之间关系的实证分析是税收遵从研究领域中的一个薄弱环节,文章以28个国家为样本,采用多元回归分析法对税收遵从与税制的简化与透明度、估税制度的关系进行了研究.结果表明税制的简化与透明度对税收遵从有显著正向的促进作用.在研究中没有发现自我估税与税收遵从之间存在显著的相关关系.这表明一个简单、透明的税制不仅可以提高税收征管效率,而且有利于提高纳税遵从.自我估税制度的主要作用在于降低成本,提高效率,而对提高税收遵从度并无明显作用.     

个税改革势在必行

根据财政部公布的2014年1—2月财政收支情况，1—2月全国财政收入24923亿元，比去年同期增加2496亿元，增长11．1％；个人所得税同比增长30．7％，在各主体税种中增幅最高……     

现代税收意识与税收遵从的提升

现代税收意识与纳税人税收遵从程度高低有着密切的关联。仅仅从加强税收征管的角度来提升纳税人的税收遵从虽然会取得一定的效果,但却不可能从根本上解决纳税人的税收不遵从问题。因此,构建并提高全社会现代税收意识对提升我国现阶段纳税人的税收遵从度有着至关重要的作用。本文针对我国现代税收意识构建中存在的障碍提出了相应的对策建议。     

Reforming the Corporate Income Tax: The Case for a Hybrid Cash-flow Tax

Summary This paper argues for the adoption of a hybrid cash-flow tax on corporations that, on the one hand, taxes only corporate rents as they accrue, and, on the other hand, treats real and financial transactions neutrally. It is, therefore, a superior tax compared to the conventional corporate income tax – on both economic and administrative grounds. Its design also addresses the usual concerns associated with cash-flow taxation. The base of this hybrid cash-flow tax is the aggregate net cash inflow of combined real and financial transactions excluding capital expenditures, for which conventional depreciation allowances are retained with interest as compensation for the opportunity cost of equity capital. Furthermore, it is argued that it should be implemented on a destination basis that would render transfer pricing and thin capitalization moot. This paper is a revised version of an IMF working paper (WP/06/117) previously circulated under the title “A Superior Hybrid Cash-Flow Tax on Corporations.” The views expressed herein are those of the author; they do not necessarily reflect IMF policy and should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF. Helpful comments from Richard Bird, Isaias Coelho, John Isaac, Michael Keen, Russell Krelove, Alan Macnaughton, Peter Mullins, and two anonymous referees are gratefully acknowledged. Discussions with John Isaac have been particularly valuable. The usual disclaimer applies.