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Offshore Tax Evasion and Wealth Inequality : Evidence from a Tax Amnesty in the Netherlands

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  • Leenders, Wouter
  • Lejour, Arjan

    (Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management)

  • Rabate, Simon
  • Riet, Maarten van ‘t

Abstract

Exploiting unique datasets covering over 29,000 tax evaders in the Netherlands, we investigate the distribution of tax evasion and its implications for the measurement of wealth inequality. Tax evasion is concentrated at the top of the wealth distribution with over 10% of the wealthiest 0.01% of households – the “super rich” – evading taxes. At the top, households evade around 8% of their true tax liability. The “merely rich” (P90-P99.9) own 67% of hidden wealth, while the “super rich” account for only 7%. Consequently, the correction for offshore wealth has a modest effect on top wealth shares. We describe a number of explanations for the distribution of tax evasion by Dutch households: low-cost tax evasion opportunities in neighbouring countries for the “merely rich”, sophisticated forms of tax evasion for, low effective tax rates on and migration to low tax jurisdictions by the “super rich”. Taken together, these explanations suggest that the distribution of tax evasion strongly depends on a country’s geographical and institutional settings.
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Suggested Citation

  • Leenders, Wouter & Lejour, Arjan & Rabate, Simon & Riet, Maarten van ‘t, 2020. "Offshore Tax Evasion and Wealth Inequality : Evidence from a Tax Amnesty in the Netherlands," Other publications TiSEM 8b755dfc-9376-4256-a10a-b, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    • Handle: RePEc:tiu:tiutis:8b755dfc-9376-4256-a10a-b48026e28c6c
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Fauser, Hannes & Godar, Sarah, 2021. "Income tax noncompliance in Germany, 2001-2014," Discussion Papers 2021/17, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.
    2. David R. Agrawal & Ronald B. Davies & Sara LaLumia & Nadine Riedel & Kimberley Scharf, 2021. "A snapshot of public finance research from immediately prior to the pandemic: IIPF 2020," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 28(5), pages 1276-1297, October.
    3. Juliana Londoño-Vélez & Javier Avila-Mahecha, 2024. "Behavioral Responses to Wealth Taxation: Evidence from Colombia," NBER Working Papers 32134, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Sebastian Beer & Ruud de Mooij & Ruud A. De Mooij, 2023. "Coming Clean on Your Taxes," CESifo Working Paper Series 10295, CESifo.
    5. Niels Johannesen, 2024. "Offshore tax evasion in developing countries: Evidence and policy discussion," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2024-15, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    6. Massenz, Gabriella, 2023. "On the behavioral effects of tax policy," Other publications TiSEM eb44a9f7-b859-480d-b2e4-4, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    7. Martinangeli, Andrea F.M. & Windsteiger, Lisa, 2024. "Inequality shapes the propagation of unethical behaviours: Cheating responses to tax evasion along the income distribution," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 135-181.
    8. Maximiliano Lauletta & Felipe Montano Campos, 2024. "Is the forgiveness of a tax amnesty divine? Evidence from Argentina," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 31(5), pages 1229-1248, October.
    9. Alstadsæter, Annette & Casi, Elisa & Miethe, Jakob & Stage, Barbara M. B., 2023. "Lost in Information: National Implementation of Global Tax Agreements," Discussion Papers 2023/22, Norwegian School of Economics, Department of Business and Management Science, revised 27 Sep 2024.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H26 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Tax Evasion and Avoidance
    • H87 - Public Economics - - Miscellaneous Issues - - - International Fiscal Issues; International Public Goods
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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