Page 594 - TaxAdviser_2022

CAMPUS TO CLIENTS
Editor:
Annette Nellen, Esq., CPA, CGMA
Authors:
David Hulse, Ph.D.
Kerry Inger, CPA, Ph.D.
Annette Nellen, Esq., CPA, CGMA
Mitchell Oler, CPA, Ph.D.
Federal, state, and
international tax
issues are often
examined, as well as
the impact of nontax
developments on tax
policy and behavior.
52 November 2022
Practice and policy insights
from academic tax research
In the continued spirit of bridging the taxpayers are also common, with re-
gap between tax academics and tax searchers conducting experiments or
practitioners, for the third year in a developing creative uses of public data.
row, this column features examples of Federal, state, and international tax is-
published academic tax research (see sues are often examined, as well as the
Meade, “Campus to Clients: Academic impact of nontax developments on tax
Research for Your Practice Consider- policy and behavior.
ation,” 52 The Tax Adviser 526 (August As with most academic research,
2021), and Meade, “Campus to Clients: these five articles were subject to a rigor-
Practitioners Can Benefit From Aca- ous development and review process
demic Tax Research,” 51 The Tax Adviser as outlined in the earlier columns. Re-
532 (August 2020)). The papers were searchers generally get input from peers
selected by the External Relations Com- on their “working paper” by presenting
mittee of the American Taxation As- their thesis, approach, and initial find-
sociation (ATA) with the aim of sharing ings at campus forums and conferences
research that is relevant and of interest such as those sponsored by the Ameri-
to practitioners. The ATA is the leading
can Accounting Association (AAA).
organization of tax academics, and the Most articles undergo thorough blind
External Relations Committee aims to peer review. Reviewers often call for
connect with tax professionals. some revisions, such as for clarification
or deeper analysis, for the paper to be
The five articles selected for this
column highlight the wide breadth accepted for publication. The academic
of topics and methodologies found in publishing world is often harsh, as many
papers are rejected under these rigorous
academic tax literature. Topics within
academic tax literature that may be standards for research approach, content,
of interest to practitioners include tax novelty, and timeliness.
policy, corporate and individual taxpayer Of the articles summarized here, one
behavior, effects of tax on stakehold- was in a tax-specific journal, while the
ers, tax accounting issues, and tax data others come from broader accounting
analysis. Researchers provide valuable journals, including one focused on ac-
guidance on tax policy by providing in- counting history.
sight on potential policy changes as well
as feedback on existing policy. ‘The Effects of Income
Many academic tax papers examine Tax Timing on Retirement PHOTO BY NANCY BARR-RAPER/ISTOCK
corporate behavior using publicly avail- Investment Decisions’
able data such as annual reports, stock Withdrawals from a tax-deferred (i.e.,
prices, rankings, and other sources traditional) individual retirement ac-
of information. Studies of individual count (IRA) or 401(k) are taxable,
The Tax Adviser