Accounting and Finance 55 (2015) 545574

Determinants of tax haven utilization:

evidence from Australian rms
Grantley Taylora , Grant Richardson b , Ross Taplina
a School of Accounting, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia
b School of Accounting and Finance, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide,
SA, Australia
Abstract

This paper examines the major determinants of tax

haven utilization based on a sample of 200 publicly
listed Australian firms, over the 20062010 period
(1,000 firm-years). Our regression results show that
variables relating to transfer pricing, intangible assets,
an interaction term between transfer pricing and
intangible assets, withholding taxes, performancebased management remuneration and multinationality
are positively associated with tax haven utilization. We
also find that corporate governance structures are
negatively associated with tax haven utilization. The
magnitude and significance of the regression
coefficients indicate that transfer pricing, withholding
taxes, intangible assets, an interaction term between
transfer pricing and intangible assets, corporate
governance and multinationality are the most
important drivers of tax haven utilization.
Key words: Tax havens; Tax avoidance; Australian tax
JEL classification: H20, M41

doi: 10.1111/acfi.12064
1. Introduction
The purpose of this study is to examine the major
determinants of tax haven1 utilization by publicly listed
Australian firms. We analyse whethe r determinants1
Various governmental, international and academic
sources define tax havens on the basis of a number of
similar characteristics (Hines and Rice, 1990; Wilson,
2009; Government Accountability Office (GAO), 2008a;
GAO, 2008b; ATO, 2010; the Organisation for Economic
Cooperation and Development (OECD), 2012). Tax
havens are jurisdictions that oer beneficial financial,
legal and tax regimes in that they impose no or only
nominal taxes, have laws or administrative practices
that prevent the eective exchange of information and
lack transparency relating to financial and taxation
arrangements,
including
regulatory,
legal
and
administrative provisions and access to financial
records. The OECD (2006, 2012) has developed a list of
33 tax havens represented as follows: Anguilla, Antigua
and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bermuda, Belize,
British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands,
Cyprus, Dominica, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guernsey, Isle of
Man, Jersey, Liberia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius,
Montserrat,
Nauru,
Netherlands
Antilles,
New
Caledonia, Panama, Samoa, San Marino, Seychelles, St.
Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Turks and Caicos Islands and Vanuatu.
Received 10 January 2013; accepted 16 November
2013 by Steven Cahan (Editor in Chief).
2014 AFAANZ