The Paradoxical Impact of Corporate Inversions on US Tax Revenue

Abstract

Corporate inversions – reorganizations that result in relocating corporate tax domiciles from the US to a foreign country – are alleged to cost the US Treasury billions of dollars in tax revenue. Contrary to these assertions, we find that that inverting firms pay no less taxes after the inversion than they did before. Moreover, contrary to the common belief, we estimate that the inversions result in US shareholders realizing $81,415.92 million in capital gains and annual increases in dividends of $9,959.37 million. Thus, paradoxically, inversions are likely to increase tax collections by the US Treasury.

Keywords: Cash, Tax, Mergers and Acquisitions

JEL Classification: M40, G34, H25, F23