(Translated by https://www.hiragana.jp/)
Behavioral Responses to Wealth Taxation: Evidence from a Norwegian Reform
IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ces/ceswps/_11335.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Behavioral Responses to Wealth Taxation: Evidence from a Norwegian Reform

Author

Listed:
  • Roberto Iacono
  • Bård Smedsvik

Abstract

How do wealthy individuals respond to wealth tax reforms? We analyse behavioral responses to intensive margin variation in wealth tax rates, estimating the causal effects of an unprecedented municipal wealth tax reform in Norway. We leverage variation from the single-period municipal reform reducing the marginal tax rate (MTR) on wealth exclusively in the northern Norwegian municipality of Bo from 0.85% to 0.35%, since 2021. Mimicking the behaviour of a tax haven, Bo represents the first municipality in Norway to unilaterally reduce the municipal wealth tax rate since 1978. We document a significant 60% increase in average taxable wealth in response to a 1 percentage point drop in the wealth tax rate. The elasticity of taxable wealth increases to 68.7% when focusing exclusively on wealth taxpayers. We also estimate a significant but more modest 10% jump in the weighted mass of wealth taxpayers in the treated municipality. Migration effects of the reform dominate: internal mobility of wealthy taxpayers appears as the major behavioral response to the change in the net tax rate, accounting for a large portion of the post-treatment total net wealth in the treated municipality. While these effects are pronounced at the municipal level, they do not suggest a large-scale exodus at the national level, indicating that migration to avoid wealth taxation is not necessarily an inevitable outcome of localized preferential tax regimes. These results emerge in a context of third-party reported wealth data with minimal measurement error, limited evidence of bunching, highly enforced residence-based wealth taxation, and negligible out-migration rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Roberto Iacono & Bård Smedsvik, 2024. "Behavioral Responses to Wealth Taxation: Evidence from a Norwegian Reform," CESifo Working Paper Series 11335, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11335
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp11335.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Marius Brülhart & Jonathan Gruber & Matthias Krapf & Kurt Schmidheiny, 2016. "Taxing Wealth: Evidence from Switzerland," NBER Working Papers 22376, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Arun Advani & Helen Hughson & Andy Summers, 2023. "How much tax do the rich really pay? Evidence from the UK," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 39(3), pages 406-437.
    3. Henrik Kleven & Camille Landais & Mathilde Muñoz & Stefanie Stantcheva, 2020. "Taxation and Migration: Evidence and Policy Implications," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(2), pages 119-142, Spring.
    4. Emmanuel Saez & Joel Slemrod & Seth H. Giertz, 2012. "The Elasticity of Taxable Income with Respect to Marginal Tax Rates: A Critical Review," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 50(1), pages 3-50, March.
    5. Raj Chetty & John N. Friedman & Tore Olsen & Luigi Pistaferri, 2011. "Adjustment Costs, Firm Responses, and Micro vs. Macro Labor Supply Elasticities: Evidence from Danish Tax Records," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 126(2), pages 749-804.
    6. Weber, Caroline E., 2014. "Toward obtaining a consistent estimate of the elasticity of taxable income using difference-in-differences," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 90-103.
    7. Annette Alstadsæter & Niels Johannesen & Gabriel Zucman, 2019. "Tax Evasion and Inequality," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(6), pages 2073-2103, June.
    8. Andreas Fagereng & Luigi Guiso & Davide Malacrino & Luigi Pistaferri, 2020. "Heterogeneity and Persistence in Returns to Wealth," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 88(1), pages 115-170, January.
    9. Annette Alstadsæter & Marie Bjørneby & Wojciech Kopczuk & Simen Markussen & Knut Røed, 2022. "Saving Effects of a Real-Life Imperfectly Implemented Net Wealth Tax: Evidence from Norwegian Micro Data," NBER Working Papers 30031, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Marius Brülhart & Jonathan Gruber & Matthias Krapf & Kurt Schmidheiny, 2022. "Behavioral Responses to Wealth Taxes: Evidence from Switzerland," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 111-150, November.
    11. Annette Alstadsæter & Marie Bjørneby & Wojciech Kopczuk & Simen Markussen & Knut Røed, 2022. "Saving Effects of a Real-Life Imperfectly Implemented Wealth Tax: Evidence from Norwegian Micro Data," AEA Papers and Proceedings, American Economic Association, vol. 112, pages 63-67, May.
    12. Elin Halvorsen & Thor O. Thoresen, 2021. "Distributional Effects of a Wealth Tax under Lifetime‐Dynastic Income Concepts," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 123(1), pages 184-215, January.
    13. Jakobsen, Katrine Marie & Søgaard, Jakob Egholt, 2022. "Identifying behavioral responses to tax reforms: New insights and a new approach," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    14. David R. Agrawal, 2024. "Limits to Competition: Strategies for Promoting Jurisdictional Cooperation," NBER Chapters, in: Policy Responses to Tax Competition, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Emmanuel Saez, 2010. "Do Taxpayers Bunch at Kink Points?," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 2(3), pages 180-212, August.
    16. Marcus R. Munafò & Brian A. Nosek & Dorothy V. M. Bishop & Katherine S. Button & Christopher D. Chambers & Nathalie Percie du Sert & Uri Simonsohn & Eric-Jan Wagenmakers & Jennifer J. Ware & John P. A, 2017. "A manifesto for reproducible science," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 1(1), pages 1-9, January.
    17. Lyytikäinen, Teemu, 2012. "Tax competition among local governments: Evidence from a property tax reform in Finland," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 96(7-8), pages 584-595.
    18. Kristoffer Berg & Mr. Shafik Hebous, 2021. "Does a Wealth Tax Improve Equality of Opportunity? Evidence from Norway," IMF Working Papers 2021/085, International Monetary Fund.
    19. David Seim, 2017. "Behavioral Responses to Wealth Taxes: Evidence from Sweden," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 395-421, November.
    20. Kopczuk, Wojciech & Alstadsæter, Annette & Bratsberg, Bernt & Eielsen, Gaute & Markussen, Simen & Raaum, Oddbjørn & Røed, Knut, 2020. "The first weeks of the coronavirus crisis: Who got hit, when and why? Evidence from Norway," CEPR Discussion Papers 14825, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    21. Saez, Emmanuel & Stantcheva, Stefanie, 2018. "A simpler theory of optimal capital taxation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 120-142.
    22. Marie Bjørneby & Simen Markussen & Knut Røed, 2023. "An imperfect wealth tax and employment in closely held firms," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 90(358), pages 557-583, April.
    23. Bertrand Garbinti & Jonathan Goupille-Lebret & Mathilde Muñoz & Stefanie Stantcheva & Gabriel Zucman, 2023. "Tax Design, Information, and Elasticities: Evidence From the French Wealth Tax," NBER Working Papers 31333, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    24. Fatih Guvenen & Gueorgui Kambourov & Burhan Kuruscu & Sergio Ocampo & Daphne Chen, 2023. "Use It or Lose It: Efficiency and Redistributional Effects of Wealth Taxation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 138(2), pages 835-894.
    25. José María Durán-Cabré & Alejandro Esteller-Moré & Mariona Mas-Montserrat, 2019. "Behavioural responses to the (re)introduction of wealth taxes. Evidence from Spain," Working Papers 2019/04, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    26. David R. Agrawal, 2023. "Hidden Havens: State and Local Governments as Tax Havens?," CESifo Working Paper Series 10573, CESifo.
    27. Wilson, John Douglas & Wildasin, David E., 2004. "Capital tax competition: bane or boon," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(6), pages 1065-1091, June.
    28. Henrik Jacobsen Kleven & Camille Landais & Emmanuel Saez, 2013. "Taxation and International Migration of Superstars: Evidence from the European Football Market," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(5), pages 1892-1924, August.
    29. Samira Marti & Isabel Z Martínez & Florian Scheuer, 2023. "Does a progressive wealth tax reduce top wealth inequality? Evidence from Switzerland," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 39(3), pages 513-529.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Juliana Londoño-Vélez & Javier Avila-Mahecha, 2024. "Behavioral Responses to Wealth Taxation: Evidence from Colombia," NBER Working Papers 32134, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Katrine Jakobsen & Kristian Jakobsen & Henrik Kleven & Gabriel Zucman, 2020. "Wealth Taxation and Wealth Accumulation: Theory and Evidence From Denmark," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 135(1), pages 329-388.
    3. Marius Brülhart & Jonathan Gruber & Matthias Krapf & Kurt Schmidheiny, 2022. "Behavioral Responses to Wealth Taxes: Evidence from Switzerland," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 111-150, November.
    4. Arun Advani & Hannah Tarrant, 2021. "Behavioural responses to a wealth tax," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 42(3-4), pages 509-537, September.
    5. Thor O Thoresen & Marius A K Ring & Odd E Nygård & Jon Epland, 2022. "A Wealth Tax at Work [Behavioural Responses to a Wealth Tax]," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 68(4), pages 321-361.
    6. Marius Brülhart & Jonathan Gruber & Matthias Krapf & Kurt Schmidheiny, 2016. "Taxing Wealth: Evidence from Switzerland," CESifo Working Paper Series 5966, CESifo.
    7. Florian Scheuer & Joel Slemrod, 2021. "Taxing Our Wealth," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 35(1), pages 207-230, Winter.
    8. Emmanuel Saez & Gabriel Zucman, 2019. "Progressive Wealth Taxation," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 50(2 (Fall)), pages 437-533.
    9. Moore, Rachel & Pecoraro, Brandon, 2023. "Quantitative analysis of a wealth tax for the United States: Exclusions and expenditures," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    10. Spencer Bastani & Daniel Waldenström, 2020. "How Should Capital Be Taxed?," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(4), pages 812-846, September.
    11. David Gallusser & Matthias Krapf, 2022. "Joint Income-Wealth Inequality: Evidence from Lucerne Tax Data," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 163(1), pages 251-295, August.
    12. Martinez, Isabel Z., 2016. "Beggar-Thy-Neighbour Tax Cuts: Mobility after a Local Income and Wealth Tax Reform in Switzerland," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145643, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    13. Shahar Rotberg & Joseph B. Steinberg, 2024. "Tax Evasion and Capital Taxation," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 132(7), pages 2488-2529.
    14. Camilo Gómez, 2019. "How Responsive are Firms to the Corporate Wealth Tax?," Documentos CEDE 17433, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    15. Marius A. K. Ring & Thor Olav Thoresen, 2022. "Wealth Taxation and Charitable Giving," CESifo Working Paper Series 9700, CESifo.
    16. Henrik Kleven & Camille Landais & Mathilde Muñoz & Stefanie Stantcheva, 2020. "Taxation and Migration: Evidence and Policy Implications," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 34(2), pages 119-142, Spring.
    17. Glogowsky, Ulrich, 2021. "Behavioral responses to inheritance and gift taxation: Evidence from Germany," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    18. Waldenstrom, Daniel & Bastani, Spencer, 2018. "How Should Capital Be Taxed? Theory and Evidence from Sweden," CEPR Discussion Papers 12880, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    19. Alexander Krenek & Margit Schratzenstaller-Altzinger & Klaus Grünberger & Andreas Thiemann, 2021. "INTAXMOD – Inheritance and Gift Taxation in the Context of Ageing," WIFO Working Papers 645, WIFO.
    20. Nicola Borri & Pietro Reichlin, 2021. "Optimal Taxation with Home Ownership and Wealth Inequality," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 40, pages 64-84, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    wealth taxation; behavioral responses; tax avoidance; migration;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • 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
    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11335. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Klaus Wohlrabe (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/cesifde.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.