Heterogeneous Taxes and Limited Risk Sharing: Evidence from Municipal Bonds
File(s)SSRN-id2579350.pdf (1.63 MB)
Working paper
Author(s)
Babina, Tania
Jotikasthira, Chotibhak
Lundblad, Christian T
Ramadorai, Tarun
Type
Working Paper
Abstract
We evaluate the impacts of tax policy on asset returns using the U.S. municipal bond market. In theory, tax-induced ownership segmentation limits risk-sharing, creating downward-sloping regions of the aggregate demand curve for the asset. In the data, cross-state variation in tax privilege policies predicts differences in in-state ownership of local municipal bonds; the policies create incentives for concentrated local ownership. High tax privilege states have muni bond yields that are more sensitive to variations in supply and local idiosyncratic risk. The effects are stronger when local investors face correlated background risk and/or diminishing marginal non-pecuniary benefits from holding local assets.
Date Issued
2019-07-01
Citation
2019
Publisher
SSRN
Copyright Statement
© 2019 The Authors.
Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2579350
Publication Status
Published