Date of Award

May 2016

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Accounting

Advisor(s)

Susan M. Albring

Keywords

2010 Tax Relief Act, bonus depreciation, capital asset expensing provisions, capital expenditures, Tax Relief, Unemployment Compensation Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010

Subject Categories

Accounting

Abstract

The Tax Relief, Unemployment Compensation Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010 (2010 Tax Relief Act) temporarily modified capital asset expensing provisions, increasing the allowed bonus depreciation percentage from 50% to 100%. The legislative intent of the provision was to encourage capital investment by firms, although prior research suggests that capital expenditures did not increase during the availability of 30% or 50% bonus depreciation. I find that the availability of 100% bonus depreciation significantly increases the likelihood that firms increase capital expenditures, as well as increases the magnitude of capital expenditures. Overall, my evidence highlights how temporary changes in capital asset expensing provisions affect firms’ behavior with respect to investment decisions and that the market reacts both positively and negatively to those decisions.

Access

Open Access

Included in

Accounting Commons

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