No abstract

Embedded options arise in many tax-related decisions because of the ability to subsequently alter one's choices in response to changing conditions. This article analyzes one type of embedded option that is especially amenable to being modeled and that is of widespread interest: the decision to contribute to a traditional or Roth IRA, where the embedded option arises from the opportunity to subsequently roll over a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA. The results show that the alternative with which the embedded option is associated (i.e., a traditional IRA contribution) might be incorrectly rejected when the option is ignored.

No abstract

When Congress retroactively extends a temporary tax rule, the effect on earnings is complex because financial reporting standards require firms to apply the integral method using enacted tax law to determine quarterly income tax expense. We model this effect and examine earnings announcements following retroactive extensions of the federal R&D tax credit to test how investors incorporate the effect into stock prices. We find that investors respond when earnings are announced, even though the effect could have been determined several weeks earlier. We also show that in recent years, the effects of retroactive extensions of the credit are a substantial part of the average decrease in effective tax rates (ETRs) from the third to fourth quarter for calendar-year firms. Our results have implications for investors and researchers examining earnings and ETRs around retroactive extensions of temporary tax rules and suggest that congressional delays and GAAP interact to produce unintended consequences. JEL Classifications: M41; M48; G14; H25. Data Availability: Data used in this study are available from the sources identified in the text.

Book Reviews In each issue, JATA publishes reviews of textbooks and other books of interest to tax scholars. All book reviews are solicited by the Associate Editor. However, if you know of a book that you would like reviewed, or if you are interested in reviewing a book, please contact the Associate Editor.