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Remittance Rules and the Distribution of Local Tax Revenue: Evidence after Wayfair

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  • David R. Agrawal
  • Iuliia Shybalkina

Abstract

Requiring firms, rather than individuals, to remit sales taxes improves tax compliance. In the U.S., this shift toward firm-based remittance rules for remote purchases occurred gradually after South Dakota v. Wayfair. Using comprehensive and high-frequency local sales tax revenue data, we show that due to the increased compliance after Wayfair, revenues increased in the average locality by 5.4% and subsequently increased 5.1% after states required platforms to pay taxes on behalf of marketplace vendors. Critically, these effects are mainly a result of substantial increases in small towns and counties, with much smaller effects in larger jurisdictions. Increases in tax compliance thus influence both the level of tax revenues as well as its distribution across places.

Suggested Citation

  • David R. Agrawal & Iuliia Shybalkina, 2024. "Remittance Rules and the Distribution of Local Tax Revenue: Evidence after Wayfair," CESifo Working Paper Series 11252, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_11252
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    sales tax; online shopping; e-commerce; remittance rules; tax revenue; compliance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce
    • R51 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Finance in Urban and Rural Economies

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