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Policy Watch: Cutting Capital Gains Taxes

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  • Gerald E. Auten
  • Joseph J. Cordes

Abstract

From 1922 to 1986, long-term capital gains were taxed at lower rates than other income, generally by allowing a portion of long-term capital gains to be excluded from taxable income. While taxing capital gains at the same rates as other income has been hailed by some as a major accomplishment of tax reform, it has been criticized by others as one of its main flaws. As a result, there have been proposals each year since 1986 to restore some type of capital gains preference. These proposals have sparked a lively debate centered on three main questions: Would reducing the capital gains tax lower or raise federal revenues? Who benefits most from cutting the capital gains tax? Would lower tax rates on capital gains improve economic performance?

Suggested Citation

  • Gerald E. Auten & Joseph J. Cordes, 1991. "Policy Watch: Cutting Capital Gains Taxes," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 5(1), pages 181-192, Winter.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:jecper:v:5:y:1991:i:1:p:181-92
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/jep.5.1.181
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    File URL: http://www.aeaweb.org/articles.php?doi=10.1257/jep.5.1.181
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Herings, P.J.J., 2000. "Universally stable adjustment processes - a unifying approach," Research Memorandum 003, Maastricht University, Maastricht Research School of Economics of Technology and Organization (METEOR).
    2. Ole Agersnap & Owen Zidar, 2021. "The Tax Elasticity of Capital Gains and Revenue-Maximizing Rates," American Economic Review: Insights, American Economic Association, vol. 3(4), pages 399-416, December.
    3. James B. Davies, 1995. "Distributional Effects of the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption: Single vs. Multi-Year Analysis," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 21(s1), pages 159-173, November.
    4. Natasha Sarin & Lawrence Summers & Owen Zidar & Eric Zwick, 2022. "Rethinking How We Score Capital Gains Tax Reform," Tax Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(1), pages 1-33.
    5. repec:max:cprpbr:005 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Sijbren Cnossen & Lans Bovenberg, 2001. "Fundamental Tax Reform in The Netherlands," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 8(4), pages 471-484, August.
    7. Cnossen, S. & Bovenberg, A.L., 2000. "Fundamental tax reform in the Netherlands," Research Memorandum 024, Maastricht University, Maastricht Research School of Economics of Technology and Organization (METEOR).
    8. Holtz-Eakin, Douglas, 1995. "Should Small Businesses Be Tax Favored?," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association, vol. 48(3), pages 387-95, September.
    9. Magnus Henrekson & Dan Johansson & Mikael Stenkula, 2010. "Taxation, Labor Market Policy and High-Impact Entrepreneurship," Journal of Industry, Competition and Trade, Springer, vol. 10(3), pages 275-296, September.
    10. Steven M. Fazzari & Benjamin Herzon, 1995. "Capital Gains Tax Cuts, Investment, and Growth," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_147, Levy Economics Institute.
    11. Chris Mitchell, 2019. "The Lock-In Effect and the Corporate Payout Puzzle," ISER Discussion Paper 1070r, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University, revised Aug 2021.
    12. Alan J. Auerbach, 1996. "Dynamic Revenue Estimation," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 10(1), pages 141-157, Winter.
    13. Harold M. Somers, 1991. "Leverage: The Tax Incentives," UCLA Economics Working Papers 625, UCLA Department of Economics.
    14. Barry J. Seldon & Roy G. Boyd, 1995. "A General Equilibrium Analysis of a Reduction in Capital Gains Taxes," Public Finance Review, , vol. 23(2), pages 193-216, April.
    15. Holtz-Eakin, Douglas, 1995. "Should Small Businesses Be Tax Favored?," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 48(3), pages 387-395, September.
    16. Dowd, Tim & McClelland, Robert & Muthitacharoen, Athiphat, 2012. "Heterogeneity in the Tax Responses of Personal Capital Gains Realizations," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 65(4), pages 827-840, December.
    17. Gary, Robert F. & Moore, Jared A. & Sisneros, Craig A. & Terando, William D., 2016. "The impact of tax rate changes on intercorporate investment," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 55-63.
    18. Tim Dowd & Robert McClelland & Athiphat Muthitacharoen, 2012. "New Evidence on the Tax Elasticity of Capital Gains: Working Paper 2012-09," Working Papers 43334, Congressional Budget Office.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies

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