This study examines the effect of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) on corporate defined benefit pension contributions. The TCJA decreases the corporate tax rate from 35 percent in 2017 to 21 percent in 2018 and thereafter. This change incentivizes firms to increase 2017 pension contributions to take advantage of tax deductions at a higher rate. Consistent with this incentive, we find firms increase defined benefit pension contributions by an average of 25 to 31 percent in 2017 compared with earlier years. We also find that taxpaying firms are the primary contributors. Further, taxpaying firms with high levels of pension-related deferred tax assets contribute over three times as much as taxpaying firms with low levels of pension-related deferred tax assets. We also find firms that increase pension contributions in 2017 reduce 2018 contributions, consistent with intertemporal income shifting rather than a permanent change in pension funding strategy.

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This study examines the association between internal information quality and state tax planning. Prior literature documents a positive association between internal information quality and summary measures of tax avoidance. However, we know little about specific forms of tax planning and internal information quality. State tax planning is difficult because of the number of jurisdictions, variety of tax rules, variation of enforcement, and apportionment requirements. We find that internal information quality facilitates state tax planning and is most important when firms face more restrictive state tax laws and when domestic firms relative to multinational firms have international income shifting opportunities. Our results provide a baseline of the economic effects of internal information quality on different forms of tax planning. Understanding internal information quality's role in state tax planning is especially relevant as countries propose to modify international tax rules to mirror the state taxation format of a singleentity system with apportionment.