Phased-In Tax Cuts and Economic Activity / Christopher L. House, Matthew D. Shapiro.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

House, Christopher L.

Contributor:

National Bureau of Economic Research.

Shapiro, Matthew D.

Series:

Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research) no. w10415.

NBER working paper series no. w10415

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource: illustrations (black and white);

Place of Publication:

Cambridge, Mass. National Bureau of Economic Research 2004.

Summary:

Phased-in tax reductions are a common feature of tax legislation. This paper uses a dynamic general equilibrium model to quantify the effects of delaying tax cuts. According to the analysis of the model, the phased-in tax cuts of the 2001 tax law substantially reduced employment, output, and investment during the phase-in period. In contrast, the immediate tax cuts of the 2003 tax law provided significant incentives for immediate production and investment. The paper argues that the rules and accounting procedures used by Congress for formulating tax policy have a significant impact in shaping the details of tax policy and led to the phase-ins, sunsets, and temporary tax changes in both the 2001 and 2003 tax laws.

Notes:

Print version record

April 2004.