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Effect of Marginal Tax Rates on Taxable Income: A Panel Study of the 1986 Tax Reform Act

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  • Feldstein, Martin

Abstract

This paper uses a Treasury Department panel of more than 4,000 taxpayers to estimate the sensitivity of taxable income to changes in tax rates based on a comparison of the tax returns of the same individual taxpayers before and after the 1986 tax reform. The analysis emphasizes that the response of taxable income involves much more than a change in the traditional measures of labor supply. The evidence shows an elasticity of taxable income with respect to the marginal net-of-tax rate that is at least one and that could be substantially higher. The implications for recent tax rate changes are discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Feldstein, Martin, 1995. "Effect of Marginal Tax Rates on Taxable Income: A Panel Study of the 1986 Tax Reform Act," Scholarly Articles 2766676, Harvard University Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:hrv:faseco:2766676
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    JEL classification:

    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue

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