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Tax Authority Enforcement and Corporate Social Security Contributions: Evidence from China

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  • Feng, Chen
  • Ye, Yongwei
  • Tao, Yunqing

Abstract

Using the policy of the Consolidation of the State and Local Tax Bureaus (CSLTB) in China as a quasi-natural experiment, we investigate whether and how tax authority enforcement affects corporate social security contributions. The Difference-in-Differences (DiD) estimate shows that corporate social security contributions decline with an increase in tax authority enforcement. Further, we find that this effect is more pronounced for firms with tighter financial constraints, lower tax compliance and those located in cities with greater fiscal pressure. Mechanism tests show that tax authority enforcement leads to increasing in the effective income tax rate and financial risk but decreasing in operating profit. Overall, our findings suggest that tougher tax authority enforcement engenders a negative effect on corporate social security contributions by strengthening liquidity constraints.

Suggested Citation

  • Feng, Chen & Ye, Yongwei & Tao, Yunqing, 2022. "Tax Authority Enforcement and Corporate Social Security Contributions: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:49:y:2022:i:c:s1544612322003191
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2022.103094
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Shao, Chuanlin & Tao, Yunqing & Chen, Dong & Ye, Yongwei, 2023. "Curse or blessing: National industrial investment fund and corporate R&D in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    2. Wei, Wei & Song, Yan & Jin, Ruifeng, 2024. "The impact of tax digitalization on corporate salary structures," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    3. Feng, Chen & Ye, Yongwei & Bai, Caiquan, 2023. "Tax enforcement and corporate financial irregularities: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    4. Ye, Yongwei & Zeng, Lin & Tao, Yunqing & Yun, Feng, 2023. "Tax authority monitoring and corporate information disclosure quality in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    5. Liu, Lihua & Weng, Danyan & Zhang, Qin, 2023. "Unintended consequences of tax enforcement on corporate innovation: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1292-1309.
    6. Xiao, Renrui & Xu, Pingguo & Huang, Baocong, 2024. "Tax incentives and firm social insurance contributions: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    7. Jin, Gang & Zhang, Jiwen & Ye, Yongwei & Yao, Shiqi & Song, Jingxiang, 2024. "Social insurance law and firm markup in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 132(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tax authority enforcement; Liquidity constraints; Corporate social security contributions; China; H32; D22; G31;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm
    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • G31 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Capital Budgeting; Fixed Investment and Inventory Studies

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