Do Taxpayers Bunch at Kink Points?

A-Tier
Journal: American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
Year: 2010
Volume: 2
Issue: 3
Pages: 180-212

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

This paper uses tax return data to analyze bunching at the kink points of the US income tax schedule. We estimate the compensated elasticity of reported income with respect to (one minus) the marginal tax rate using bunching evidence. We find clear evidence of bunching around the first kink point of the Earned Income Tax Credit but concentrated solely among the self-employed. A simple tax evasion model can account for those results. We find evidence of bunching at the threshold of the first income tax bracket where tax liability starts but no evidence of bunching at any other kink point. (JEL H23, H24, H26)

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:aea:aejpol:v:2:y:2010:i:3:p:180-212
Journal Field
General
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-29