Do higher corporate taxes reduce wages? Micro evidence from Germany
Fuest, Clemens ; Peichl, Andreas ; Siegloch, Sebastian
Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung, Mannheim
ZEW - Mannheim
2016
77 p.
Discussion Paper
16-003
Public finance and taxation
English
Bibliogr.
"This paper estimates the incidence of corporate taxes on wages using a 20-year panel of German municipalities. Administrative linked employer-employee data allows estimating heterogeneous worker and firm effects. We set up a general theoretical framework showing that corporate taxes can have a negative effect on wages in various labor market models. Using an event study design, we test the predictions of the theory. Our results indicate that workers bear about 40% of the total tax burden. Empirically, we confirm the importance of both labor market institutions and profit shifting possibilities for the incidence of corporate taxes on wages."
Digital
The ETUI is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the ETUI.