Deferred Tax Positions and Incentives for Corporate Behavior Around Corporate Tax Changes
A firm's deferred tax position can influence how it is affected by a transition from one tax regime to another. We compile disaggregated deferred tax position data for a sample of large U.S. firms between 1993 and 2004 to explore how these positions might affect firm behavior before and after a pre-announced change in the statutory corporate tax rate. Our results suggest that the heterogeneous deferred tax positions of large U.S. corporations create substantial variation in the short-run effect of tax rate changes on reported earnings. Recognizing these divergent incentives is important for understanding the political economy of corporate tax reform.
Published Versions
Poterba, James M., Nirupama S. Rao, and Jeri K. Seidman. "Deferred Tax Positions and Incentives for Corporate Behavior Around Corporate Tax Changes." National Tax Journal 64, 1 (March 2011): 27-57. citation courtesy of 
Related
More from NBER
In addition to working papers, the NBER disseminates affiliates’ latest findings through a range of free periodicals — the NBER Reporter, the NBER Digest, the Bulletin on Retirement and Disability, the Bulletin on Health, and the Bulletin on Entrepreneurship — as well as online conference reports, video lectures, and interviews.
