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SOI Tax Stats - Conference Papers on Individual Tax Statistics

 

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 A list of papers written by members of the Statistics of Income Division of IRS, and others, which were presented at the American Economic Association Conference, the American Statistical Association Conference, and the National Tax Association Conference and Symposium. These papers all pertain to Individual Tax Statistics.

All tables are available as Microsoft Excel® files.  A free Excel viewer is available for download, if needed.

All papers are available as PDF files.  A free Adobe® reader is available for download, if needed.


American Economic Association Conference


Title and Authors

"The Distribution of Individual Income and Taxes: A New Look at an Old Issue"
Authors: Tom Petska and Mike Strudler; SOI. March 2000.


Abstract

This paper is an examination of trends in the distribution of individual incomes and tax burdens based on a consistent measure of income. Included is a brief summary of background information on a measure of individual income derived as a “retrospective concept” from individual income tax returns as well as some of the more substantial changes to the Internal Revenue (Tax) Code affecting individual income taxes.

See Related Statistical Tables which accompany the paper.

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American Statistical Association Conference

2004


Title and Authors

"Further Analysis of the Distribution of Income and Taxes, 1979-2002"
Michael Strudler and Tom Petska, Statistics of Income, IRS, and Ryan Petska, Quantitative Economics and Statistics, Ernst and Young LLP. November 2004.


Abstract

This paper is the sixth in a series examining trends in the distribution of individual incomes and tax burdens based on a consistent and comprehensive measure of income derived from individual income tax returns. It continues the analysis of individual income and tax distributions, adding for 3 years (1979, 1989, and 1999) Social Security and Medicare taxes to this analysis and using panel data.

See Related Statistical Tables which accompany the paper.


Title and Authors

"The Statistics of Income 1979-2002 Continuous Work History Sample Individual Income Tax Return Panel"
Michael Weber, Statistics of Income, IRS. January 2005.


Abstract

Since 1979, the annual SOI Individual Income Tax Return Cross-Sectional Sample has had at least one Continuous Work History Sample (CWHS) Social Security Number (SSN) ending embedded in the sampling framework.


Title and   Authors

"Use of Individual Retirement Arrangements to Save for Retirement -- Results From a Matched File of Tax Returns and Information Documents for Tax Year 2001"
Peter Sailer, Statistics of Income, IRS, and Sarah Holden, Investment Company Institute.  January 2005.


Abstract

With $2.6 trillion in assets at year-end 2001, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs) had grown to represent nearly one-quarter of the $11.2 trillion in the U.S. retirement market.

2003


Title and   Authors

"Accumulation and Distributions of Retirement Assets, 1996-2000 -- Results from a Matched File of Tax Returns and Information Returns"
Peter Sailer and Kurt Gurka, Statistics of Income, IRS, and Sarah Holden, Investment Company Institute. November 2003.


Abstract

With nearly $4.0 trillion invested in IRAs and 401(k) plans at year-end 2003, these retirement savings vehicles represent a significant component of Americans’ financial security. Taxpayers holding IRAs and 401(k) accounts cover a wide range of ages and incomes. This paper provides a glimpse at the rich detail available from the IRS SOI sample of tax returns and information returns (focusing in detail on 1999).


Title and   Authors

"An Analysis of the Distribution of Individual Income and Taxes, 1979-2001"
Michael Strudler and Tom Petska, Statistics of Income, IRS, and Ryan Petska, Quantitative Economics and Statistics, Ernst and Young LLP. December 2003.


Abstract

The paper contains a summary of the measure of individual income derived as a “retrospective concept” from individual income tax returns, results of the analysis of time series data, and conclusions with examination of Gini coefficients computed from these data. It is the fifth in a series examining trends in the distribution of individual incomes and tax burdens based on a consistent and comprehensive measure of income derived from individual income tax returns. In this paper, the analysis of individual income and tax distributions is continued, adding for 3 years (1979, 1989, and 1999) social security and Medicare taxes to this analysis. 
2002


Title and   Authors

"Assessing Disclosure Protection for a SOI Public Use File"
Marianne Winglee, Richard Valliant, Jay Clark, and Yunhee Lim (of Westat) and Michael Weber and Michael Strudler (of Statistics of Income, IRS).


Abstract

This paper describes an evaluation of the disclosure protection methods for the Individual Tax Model Public Use File (PUF) released by the Statistics of Income (SOI) Program. Included is an introduction and motivation for this study, preparation of the PUF, options for sub-sampling high-income returns, and options for disclosure protection by micro-aggregation (grouping microdata in aggregates of three). In addition, the method and data used to measure disclosure risk and information loss as well as results and recommendations for further research are also discussed.


Title and   Authors

"Salaries and Wages and Deferred Income, 1989-1999"
Peter Sailer, Ellen Yau, Kurt Gurka, and Michael Weber; Statistics of Income, IRS.


Abstract

This paper discusses trends in salaries and wages, as well as income deferred for retirement purposes, as reported for men and women in the United States between 1989 and 1999.
2000


Title and   Authors

"Attrition in a Panel of Individual Income Tax Returns, 1992-1997"
Peter Sailer, Michael Weber, and William Wong; Statistics of Income, IRS. November 2000.


Abstract

This paper summarizes some of the problems involved in putting together a panel of tax returns. Quantifying the magnitude of these problems, determining the reasons they exist, and suggesting some strategies for constructing panels that are both more complete and more comparable are also discussed.
1999


Title and   Authors

"Further Examination of the Distribution of Individual Income and Taxes Using a Consistent and Comprehensive Measure of Income"
Tom Petska and Mike Strudler, Statistics of Income, IRS, and Ryan Petska, Florida State University. March 2000.


Abstract

This paper is the third in a series examining trends in the distribution of individual incomes and tax burdens based on a consistent and comprehensive measure of income derived from individual income tax returns.
See Related Statistical Tables which accompany the paper.


Title and   Authors

"Occupation and Industry Data from Tax Year 1993 Individual Tax Returns"
Peter Sailer and Terry Nuriddin; Statistics of Income, IRS. April 2000. 


Abstract

For Tax Year 1993, the Statistics of Income Division (SOI) created a more elaborate database of individual income tax data than ever before. This paper describes how the occupation and industry coding of this database was accomplished. It also includes comparisons of results ts to statistics on employment available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
See Related Statistical Tables, Table 1 and Table 2, which accompany the paper.
1998


Title and   Authors

"Income, Tax, and Tax Progressivity:  An Examination of Recent Trends in the Distribution of Individual Income and Taxes"
Tom Petska and Mike Strudler; Statistics of Income, IRS. April 2000.


Abstract

This paper is an examination of recent trends in the distribution of individual incomes based on a consistent measure of taxable income. Also included are some of the more substantial changes to the Internal Revenue (Tax) Code, and examination and analyses of aggregate time series data on individual income and taxes based on income tax return filings with the IRS. 


Title and   Authors

"The IRS Population Count:  An Update"
Peter Sailer and Michael Weber; Statistics of Income, IRS. November 1998.


Abstract

In a paper presented at the 1993 Annual Meetings of the American Statistical Association, the authors presented the results of their first attempt to use administrative records available at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to count the population of the United States.  That paper noted a major problem in the use of IRS administrative records was the presence in files of information documents for deceased individuals. This paper covers the results of  researching whether processing changes implemented since that time improved the ability to use IRS records for the purpose of counting the population. 
1997


Title and   Authors

"Household and Individual Income Data from Tax Returns"
Peter Sailer and Michael Weber; Statistics of Income, IRS. April 1998.


Abstract

This paper attempts to demonstrate some of the consequences of regrouping the traditional Statistics of Income file--either by aggregating the data by household, or by dis-aggregating them into data for individuals--and to hint at some of the analysis these regroupings will allow.
1993


Title and   Authors

"How Well Can IRS Count the Population?"
Peter Sailer, Michael Weber, and Ellen Yau; Statistics of Income, IRS. December 1994.


Abstract

The following paper is an outgrowth of research performed with a data base of merged individual income tax returns and information documents.  It attempts to demonstrate how administrative records can be used to compute a population estimates, discuss the reliability of this estimate, compare estimates from the data base, classified by age, sex, and state, to results from the 1990 Census, and summarize conclusions and make some recommendations for further research.
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National Tax Association Conference and Symposium


Title and   Authors

"Are Taxpayers Increasing the Buildup of Retirement Assets?  Preliminary Results from a Matched File of Tax Year 1999 Tax Returns and Information Returns"
Authors: Peter J. Sailer, Michael E. Weber, and Kurt S. Gurka; Statistics of Income, IRS.  January 2003.

Abstract


Title and   Authors

"New Estimates of the Distribution of Individual Income and Taxes"
 Authors: Tom Petska and Mike Strudler; Statistics of Income, IRS, and Ryan Petska, Ernst and Young LLP.  January 2003.

Abstract

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Page Last Reviewed or Updated: February 11, 2008