IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/anresc/v62y2019i3d10.1007_s00168-019-00902-5.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Nonlinear tax-induced migration: an overlooked tale

Author

Listed:
  • Yizhou Zhang

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

  • Geoffrey J. D. Hewings

    (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Abstract

The empirical literature on tax-induced migration (TIM) primarily focused on estimating the average elasticity of migration to interregional tax differentials but ignores the potential effect of the variations around this average. This paper extends the work of Moretti and Wilson (Am Econ Rev 107:1858–1903, 2017) and finds salient nonlinearity in the TIM of star scientists between 1977 and 2010. The results suggest that differences in personal income tax and research and development (R & D) tax credits between two states generate nonlinear impacts on migration; there is evidence of an important inertia range in which the differences generate little impact on migration. In contrast, the corporate income tax has approximately linear effects and investment tax credit has consistent effects only when the destination state initially has higher credits than the origin state. As different taxes or tax credits have distinctive nonlinear effects on migration, decision makers are cautioned of using average elasticities of TIM in policy making.

Suggested Citation

  • Yizhou Zhang & Geoffrey J. D. Hewings, 2019. "Nonlinear tax-induced migration: an overlooked tale," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 62(3), pages 425-438, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:anresc:v:62:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s00168-019-00902-5
    DOI: 10.1007/s00168-019-00902-5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00168-019-00902-5
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s00168-019-00902-5?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chirinko, Robert S. & Wilson, Daniel J., 2008. "State investment tax incentives: A zero-sum game?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(12), pages 2362-2384, December.
    2. Gabriel, Stuart A. & Shack-Marquez, Janice & Wascher, William L., 1992. "Regional house-price dispersion and interregional migration," Journal of Housing Economics, Elsevier, vol. 2(3), pages 235-256, September.
    3. Henrik Jacobsen Kleven & Camille Landais & Esben Schultz, 2014. "Migration and Wage Effects of Taxing Top Earners: Evidence from the Foreigners' Tax Scheme in Denmark," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 129(1), pages 333-378.
    4. Mark Gius, 2011. "The effect of income taxes on interstate migration: an analysis by age and race," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 46(1), pages 205-218, February.
    5. Enrico Moretti & Daniel J. Wilson, 2017. "The Effect of State Taxes on the Geographical Location of Top Earners: Evidence from Star Scientists," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(7), pages 1858-1903, July.
    6. 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.
    7. Jon Bakija & Joel Slemrod, 2004. "Do the Rich Flee from High State Taxes? Evidence from Federal Estate Tax Returns," Department of Economics Working Papers 2004-12, Department of Economics, Williams College.
    8. Lynne G. Zucker & Michael R. Darby, 2014. "Movement of Star Scientists and Engineers and High-Tech Firm Entry," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 115-116, pages 125-175.
    9. Ufuk Akcigit & Salomé Baslandze & Stefanie Stantcheva, 2016. "Taxation and the International Mobility of Inventors," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(10), pages 2930-2981, October.
    10. Lynne G. Zucker & Michael R. Darby & Jason Fong, 2014. "Communitywide Database Designs for Tracking Innovation Impact: Comets, Stars and Nanobank," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 115-116, pages 277-311.
    11. Gabriel, Stuart A. & Shack-Marquez, Janice & Wascher, William L., 1993. "Does migration arbitrage regional labor market differentials?," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 211-233, April.
    12. Roberto Basile & Jaewon Lim, 2017. "Nonlinearities in Interregional Migration Behavior," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 40(6), pages 563-589, November.
    13. Coomes, Paul A. & Hoyt, William H., 2008. "Income taxes and the destination of movers to multistate MSAs," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 920-937, May.
    14. Yu Hsing & Franklin G. Mixon, Jr., 1996. "A Regional Study Of Net Migration Rates Of College Students," The Review of Regional Studies, Southern Regional Science Association, vol. 26(2), pages 197-209, Fall.
    15. Cebula, Richard J, 1990. "A Brief Empirical Note on the Tiebout Hypothesis and State Income Tax Policies," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 67(1), pages 87-89, October.
    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. Enrico Moretti & Daniel J. Wilson, 2017. "The Effect of State Taxes on the Geographical Location of Top Earners: Evidence from Star Scientists," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(7), pages 1858-1903, July.
    2. López-Laborda Julio & Rodrigo Fernando, 2022. "Mobility of Top Income Taxpayers in Response to Regional Differences in Personal Taxes: Evidence from Spain," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment Journal, De Gruyter, vol. 16(1), pages 152-169, January.
    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. Mathilde Muñoz, 2021. "Do European Top Earners React to Labour Taxation Through Migration ?," PSE Working Papers halshs-03252899, HAL.
    5. Mathilde Munoz, 2019. "Do European Top Earners React to Labour Taxation Through Migration ?," PSE Working Papers hal-02876987, HAL.
    6. Enrico Moretti & Daniel J. Wilson, 2023. "Taxing Billionaires: Estate Taxes and the Geographical Location of the Ultra-Wealthy," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 15(2), pages 424-466, May.
    7. David R. Agrawal & Dirk Foremny, 2019. "Relocation of the Rich: Migration in Response to Top Tax Rate Changes from Spanish Reforms," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 101(2), pages 214-232, May.
    8. Julio López Laborda & Fernando Rodrigo Sauco, 2017. "Movilidad de los contribuyentes de rentas altas en respuesta a las diferencias regionales en los impuestos personales," Studies on the Spanish Economy eee2017-28, FEDEA.
    9. Lisa Marie Timm & Massimo Giuliodori & Paul Muller, 2022. "Tax incentives for high skilled migrants: evidence from a preferential tax scheme in the Netherlands," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-068/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    10. 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.
    11. Ufuk Akcigit & John Grigsby & Tom Nicholas & Stefanie Stantcheva, 2018. "Taxation and Innovation in the 20th Century," NBER Working Papers 24982, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Mathilde Munoz, 2019. "Do European Top Earners React to Labour Taxation Through Migration ?," Working Papers hal-02876987, HAL.
    13. Martínez, Isabel Z., 2022. "Mobility responses to the establishment of a residential tax haven: Evidence from Switzerland," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    14. Mathilde Muñoz, 2021. "Do European Top Earners React to Labour Taxation Through Migration ?," Working Papers halshs-03252899, HAL.
    15. Mathilde Munoz, 2019. "Do European Top Earners React to Labour Taxation Through Migration ?," World Inequality Lab Working Papers hal-02876987, HAL.
    16. Alejandro Esteller & Amedeo Piolatto & Matthew D. Rablen, 2016. "Taxing high-income earners: tax avoidance and mobility," IFS Working Papers W16/07, Institute for Fiscal Studies.
    17. Jordan Bisset & Dirk Czarnitzki & Thorsten Doherr, 2022. "High Skilled Mobility Under Uncertainty," Working Papers of Department of Management, Strategy and Innovation, Leuven 700195, KU Leuven, Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB), Department of Management, Strategy and Innovation, Leuven.
    18. Corneo, Giacomo & Neidhöfer, Guido, 2021. "Income redistribution and self-selection of immigrants," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    19. Juan Carlos Suárez Serrato & Owen Zidar, 2016. "Who Benefits from State Corporate Tax Cuts? A Local Labor Markets Approach with Heterogeneous Firms," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(9), pages 2582-2624, September.
    20. David R. Agrawal & Dirk Foremny & Clara Martínez-Toledano, 2020. ""Paraísos fiscales", wealth taxation, and mobility," Working Papers 2020/15, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C14 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Semiparametric and Nonparametric Methods: General
    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

    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:spr:anresc:v:62:y:2019:i:3:d:10.1007_s00168-019-00902-5. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.