Determinants of aggregate income-tax-evasion behaviour: the case of US

• Main Author: R.J. CEBULA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Associazione Economia civile 1998-09-01
• Series: PSL Quarterly Review
• Subjects: Research; Underground economy; tax evasion; US economy
• Online Access: http://ojs.uniroma1.it/index.php/PSLQuarterlyReview/article/view/10599/10483

The determinants of aggregate income-tax-evasion behaviour as reflected in the size of the underground economy in the US are analysed. These factors include the federal personal income tax rate, the social security tax rate, the federal corporation income tax rate, the public's dissatisfaction with the government, IRS audit rates and IRS penalty assessments on detected unreported income. The results show that the size of the underground economy is an increasing function of federal personal income tax rate, the social security tax rate and the public's dissatisfaction with the government. However, the size is a decreasing function of IRS penalty payments on unpaid taxes.