Higher Taxes at the Top: The Role of Entrepreneurs (2024)

Abstract

This paper computes optimal top marginal tax rates in Bewley-Huggett-Aiyagari–type economies that include entrepreneurs. Consistent with the data, entrepreneurs are overrepresented at the top of the income distribution and are thus disproportionately affected by an increase in the top marginal income tax rate. The top marginal tax rate that maximizes welfare is 60 percent. While average welfare gains are positive and similar across occupations along the transition, they are larger for entrepreneurs than for workers in the long run, and this occupational gap in welfare gains after the tax increase widens with increasing income.

Citation

Brüggemann, Bettina.2021."Higher Taxes at the Top: The Role of Entrepreneurs."American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, 13 (3): 1–36. DOI: 10.1257/mac.20170441

Additional Materials

JEL Classification

  • D11Consumer Economics: Theory
  • D21Firm Behavior: Theory
  • D31Personal Income, Wealth, and Their Distributions
  • H21Taxation and Subsidies: Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
  • H24Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies; includes inheritance and gift taxes
  • L26Entrepreneurship
Higher Taxes at the Top: The Role of Entrepreneurs (2024)

FAQs

Do entrepreneurs have higher income tax? ›

Consistent with the data, entrepreneurs are overrepresented at the top of the income distribution and are thus disproportionately affected by an increase in the top marginal income tax rate. The top marginal tax rate that maximizes welfare is 60 percent.

Do higher taxes increase or reduce investment or both explain your answer? ›

High marginal tax rates can discourage work, saving, investment, and innovation, while specific tax preferences can affect the allocation of economic resources.

How do high taxes affect businesses? ›

- Audit Risks: High tax rates can increase the risk of audits, and businesses may need to allocate resources to manage audit-related expenses and challenges. 9. Economic Growth: - Impact on the Economy: Business tax rates can have broader economic implications.

Why high taxes are good for the economy? ›

They fund essential public goods and services, they contribute positively to national saving, and many of the things that they fund — from highways and schools to biomedical research and national parks — indirectly create private wealth as well.

How do entrepreneurs do taxes? ›

To file your annual income tax return, you will need to use Schedule C (Form 1040), Profit or Loss from Business (Sole Proprietorship), to report any income or loss from a business you operated or profession you practiced as a sole proprietor, or gig work performed.

How much should entrepreneurs put away for taxes? ›

So, how much should your small business save for taxes? About 30-40% of your net income. This is a reliable rule of thumb because, on average small business owners make $66,000 or less, putting them into the 22% tax bracket or below.

How do higher income taxes typically affect the economy? ›

Income taxes reduce personal income, which can lead to lower consumption and lower GDP. This depends crucially on the extent to which changes in income affect consumption.

Is it better to increase or decrease taxes? ›

Lower individual tax rates have increased disposable income throughout the economy, increasing consumer spending on goods and services, including retail purchases. Increased consumer spending has driven demand, leading to higher sales for retailers across the country.

Does higher income mean more taxes? ›

As your income goes up, the tax rate on the next layer of income is higher. When your income jumps to a higher tax bracket, you don't pay the higher rate on your entire income. You pay the higher rate only on the part that's in the new tax bracket.

Why are taxes so high for small business owners? ›

Small Businesses Are Personal.

75% of small businesses are unincorporated pass-through entities, so owners report business income on their personal taxes. This is true regardless of whether the owner is taking the profits home or plowing them back into the business. Small business owners are close to employees.

What happens when taxes increase? ›

An increase in income taxes reduces disposable personal income and thus reduces consumption (but by less than the change in disposable personal income). That shifts the aggregate demand curve leftward by an amount equal to the initial change in consumption that the change in income taxes produces times the multiplier.

How does owning a business reduce taxes? ›

Small business owners are eligible for a variety of tax deductions that individuals without their own businesses are not. Business owners can put family members on the payroll as long as they're doing legitimate work. Having a small business can also provide deductions for retirement and health care.

Does raising corporate taxes help the economy? ›

Raising the corporate income tax is often promoted as a way to generate revenue for helpful government services. Unfortunately, higher corporate taxes typically hurt the very people they're supposed to help, because they lead to lost wages and fewer opportunities for many workers.

Should big companies pay more taxes? ›

Increasing the state's corporation tax rate on highly profitable businesses could help boost state tax revenue and support public services, infrastructure, and education for more Californians. Policymakers also have other options for ensuring that corporations pay their fair share in state taxes.

What would happen without taxes? ›

"You'd see people in the streets-they would be the recipients of Social Security and Medicare," Professor Chernick stated. "They would be immediately headed toward soup kitchens and starvation. That is their main source of income, and if you cut that off, you would understand the reason why we have that program."

Do you pay less taxes as an entrepreneur? ›

In the U.S., there is no special distinction made by the IRS for being an entrepreneur, although certain tax breaks may apply. Entrepreneurs might look to organize their company in states that have more favorable tax rules or offer state-level tax breaks.

Do rich people pay more income tax? ›

As a percentage of income, it's somewhat more even. But still, for every dollar of income, the millionaire category will fork over more than 10 times as much in federal income taxes as their middle-income compatriots. However you look at it, the rich directly pay a huge share of federal income taxes.

Do entrepreneurs get taxes back? ›

If you're a small business owner, you may be wondering if you can get a business tax refund. The short answer is yes, you can get an income tax refund as a small business owner.

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