Multinational enterprises (MNEs) manipulate the location of their debts to reduce their corporate tax burden. Indeed, by locating debts in higher-tax rate countries, MNEs can deduct interest payments against a higher tax rate. This paper provides evidence of such manipulation of debt location....

This paper analyzes the effectiveness of thin-capitalization rules in preventing debt finance by intercompany loans and explores their consequences for corporate decisions. A theoretical discussion emphasizes that limitations of the deduction of interest owed to foreign affiliates would not only...

Firms have the incentive to enhance debt financing with higher corporate tax rates due to the increased value of interest deductions from the tax base. However, external debt is relatively costly for corporations with a high firm-specific risk. Moreover, for multinationals, the shifting of...

This paper analyzes the impact of taxes and lending conditions on the financial structure ofmultinationals' foreign affiliates. The empirical analysis employs a large panel of affiliates ofGerman multinationals in 26 countries in the period from 1996 until 2003. In accordance withthe theoretical...

This paper examines the role of personal income taxes in multinationals’ corporate tax–induced profit shifting. As required by corporate tax rules in most countries, firms need economic substance in low–corporate tax countries to justify profit shifting to these countries. Because higher...

This paper analyzes the impact of taxes and lending conditions on the financial structure of multinationals' foreign affiliates. The empirical analysis employs a large panel of affiliates of German multinationals in 26 countries in the period from 1996 until 2003. In accordance with the...

In this paper, I investigate the influence of tax incentives on the financial structures of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) conducted by multinational entities (MNE). Previous research has already found evidence for tax avoidance by debt shifting. I analyze the importance of locating debt at...

This paper investigates how multinational firms choose the capital structure of theirforeign affiliates in response to political risk. We focus on two choice variables, theleverage and the ownership structure of the foreign affiliate, and we distinguish differenttypes of political risk, such as...

Using a regression discontinuity design, this study shows that strengthened bank control rights triggered by loan covenant violations lead to an increase in cash tax savings and a reduction in tax risk. This effect is driven largely by firms with more severe shareholder–debtholder conflicts....

We show that firms with higher levels of organizational capital (OC) exhibit higher levels of tax avoidance and that shareholders view tax avoidance of high OC firms as value-enhancing. We also show that the OC-tax avoidance relation mainly manifests in firms with good internal governance and...