Reducing Marginal Tax Rates Increases Entrepreneurship, Study Shows
Tax Rates Directly Affect Entrepreneurial
Entry, Duration, And Exit
Reducing marginal income tax rates on entrepreneurs increases entrepreneurial
entry, decreases exit from entrepreneurship, and lengthens the duration of
entrepreneurial ventures, according to a study (http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs252tot.pdf)
released today by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business
Administration.
“This study shows how tax rates directly impact entrepreneurship,” said
Thomas M. Sullivan, Chief Counsel for Advocacy. “Reducing marginal tax rates on
entrepreneurial income provides a clear incentive for entrepreneurial activity.
Policy makers who understand the importance of increasing entrepreneurship and
economic growth should use this study to guide their policy decisions.”
The study, Taxes and Entrepreneurial Activity: An Empirical Investigation
Using Longitudinal Tax Return Data written by Donald Bruce and Tami Gurley with
funding from the Office of Advocacy, offers several specific findings including:
* A marginal tax rate reduction of one percent on entrepreneurial income
increases the probability of entrepreneurial entry by 1.42 percent for single
filers and 2.0 percent for married filers.
* A marginal tax rate reduction of one percent on entrepreneurial income
decreased the probability of exiting entrepreneurial activity by 17.32 percent
for single filers and by 7.81 percent for married filers.
* A marginal tax rate reduction of one percent on entrepreneurial income
lengthens the duration of entrepreneurial activity by 32.5 percent for single
filers and 44.8 percent for married filers.
* Higher marginal tax rates on wage-and-salary income also increase
entrepreneurial activity as they provide incentives for workers to start their
own businesses.
The study was released at a panel discussion entitled “Tax Policy and the
Entrepreneurial Sector,” sponsored by the Small Business & Entrepreneurship
Council. It analyses tax return data from 1979-1990. This period encompasses the
tax policy changes of the 1980s, which allowed the authors to closely examine
the effects of tax rate changes on entrepreneurship.
The Office of Advocacy, the “small business watchdog” of the government,
examines the role and status of small business in the economy and independently
represents the views of small business to federal agencies, Congress, and the
President. It is the source for small business statistics presented in
user-friendly formats and it funds research into small business issues. For more
information and a copy of the report, visit
www.sba.gov/advo.
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