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The effects of size-based regulation on small firms: evidence from VAT threshold

Author

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  • Rauhanen, Timo
  • Harju, Jarkko
  • Matikka, Tuomas
Abstract
Various types of size-based regulations for firms are typical in most countries (tax schedules, accounting rules, health and safety standards etc.). However, there is only limited evidence of how owners of small firms respond to such rules, and what are the underlying mechanisms behind the observed behavior. We study these questions by examining the effects of the value-added tax (VAT) sales threshold using tax register data on the universe of Finnish firms and their owners. We find sizable bunching of firms in the sales distribution just below the VAT threshold. This implies that small firms actively avoid VAT liability. We utilize variation in both the VAT rate and reporting requirements to provide compelling evidence that the response is caused by the compliance costs of VAT reporting rather than the size of the tax rate. This shows that the costs related to reporting and understanding taxes induce greater distortions than pure tax incentives, especially among low-income entrepreneurs. In addition, we find no explicit evidence of avoidance or evasion, which suggests that firms respond by reducing their true output. Also, bunching behavior is very permanent, implying that the VAT threshold hinders the growth of small firms.

Suggested Citation

  • Rauhanen, Timo & Harju, Jarkko & Matikka, Tuomas, 2016. "The effects of size-based regulation on small firms: evidence from VAT threshold," Working Papers 75, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:fer:wpaper:75
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    Cited by:

    1. Ben Lockwood, 2020. "Malas notches," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 27(4), pages 779-804, August.
    2. HOSONO Kaoru & HOTEI Masaki & MIYAKAWA Daisuke, 2019. "Size-dependent VAT, Compliance Costs, and Firm Growth," Discussion papers 19041, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    3. Nascimento, Marcos & Mattos, Enlinson, 2023. "Do lower taxes reduce the size of the firms? Evidence from micro-entrepreneurs in Brazil," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    4. Lu, Yi & Shi, Julie & Yang, Wanyu, 2019. "Expenditure response to health insurance policies: Evidence from kinks in rural China," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 178(C).
    5. Li Liu & Ben Lockwood & Miguel Almunia & Eddy H. F. Tam, 2021. "VAT Notches, Voluntary Registration, and Bunching: Theory and U.K. Evidence," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 103(1), pages 151-164, March.
    6. Miguel Almunia & Jarkko Harju & Kaisa Kotakorpi & Janne Tukiainen & Jouko Verho, 2019. "Expanding access to administrative data: the case of tax authorities in Finland and the UK," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 26(3), pages 661-676, June.
    7. Cai, Xiqian & Jiang, Wei & Song, Hong & Xie, Huihua, 2022. "Pay for performance schemes and manufacturing worker productivity: Evidence from a kinked design in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    8. Drahomir Klimsa & Robert Ullmann, 2023. "Threshold-dependent tax enforcement and the size distribution of firms: evidence from Germany," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(4), pages 1002-1035, August.
    9. Tazhitdinova, Alisa, 2015. "Reducing Evasion Through Self-Reporting: Theory and Evidence from Charitable Contributions," MPRA Paper 81612, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2017.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Value-added tax; compliance costs; small firms; entrepreneurs; bunching; Economic growth; Taloudellinen kasvu; Taxation; Verotus; H250 - Business Taxes and Subsidies including sales and value-added (VAT); H320 - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents: Firm; L110 - Production; Pricing; and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms (Concentration; Product Differentiation; Entry and Exit); D220 - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D22 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies
    • H32 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Firm
    • L11 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Production, Pricing, and Market Structure; Size Distribution of Firms

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