Replacing Corporate Income Tax with a Cash Flow Tax

Date

2020

Authors

Garnaut, Ross
Emerson, Craig
Finighan, Reuben
Anthony, Stephen

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Volume Title

Publisher

Blackwell Publishing Ltd

Abstract

We design a parsimonious cash flow tax for Australia and estimate revenue effects. It allows immediate deduction of all capital expenditures, denies deductions of interest payments, and compensates negative cash flows at the same rate and time as it taxes positive cash flows. It allows taxpayer timing choice on implementation over 10 years. It has incentive effects comparable to lowering the corporate income tax rate to zero. It removes distortions that artificially favour debt over equity, short- over long-term investments, rents over competitive returns, large, established over small and new businesses, and conventional over innovative investments. It closes international tax evasion loopholes. Its spur to investment and timing of revenue impacts favours implementation in recession.

Description

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Citation

Source

The Australian Economic Review

Type

Journal article

Book Title

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Access Statement

License Rights

Restricted until

2099-12-31