Max Risch

Max Risch is an Assistant Professor of Accounting and BP Junior Faculty Chair at Carnegie Mellon University's Tepper School of Business. His research focuses on public finance, tax policy, and inequality using novel administrative datasets to analyze the relationship between public policies and income distribution.

Dr. Risch's educational background includes:

• Ph.D. in Economics from University of Michigan (2019)
• M.A. in Economics from University of Michigan (2015)
• M.P.A. in Economics from Columbia University (2011)
• B.A. in Political Science from University of Michigan (2005)

Dr. Risch's research addresses critical topics in public finance with two main strands: 1) how firm-worker relationships mediate responses to tax policy, and 2) the role of tax evasion and enforcement in income inequality. His work employs sophisticated analysis of administrative tax data to examine how business income taxes affect worker earnings and how public policies influence firm-worker relationships. His research has important implications for understanding tax incidence and designing more effective tax policies that consider distributional consequences across different income groups.

Dr. Risch's recent publications demonstrate a strong focus on tax policy impacts, particularly examining how taxation of business owners affects employees, minimum wage effects on independent businesses, and offshore wealth reporting through FATCA. His work consistently employs administrative tax data to address fundamental questions in public finance, with increasing attention to the distributional consequences of tax policies across different income groups and the mechanisms through which tax changes affect economic behavior.

Dr. Risch has received the following scientific recognition:

• BP Junior Faculty Chair (2023)

Dr. Risch serves as a peer reviewer for top economics journals including the Quarterly Journal of Economics, American Economic Journal, and Journal of Public Economics. His research has been presented at numerous prestigious venues including the ASSA Annual Conference, congressional briefings, and international seminars at institutions like ETH Zurich and University of British Columbia. He is also an affiliate of the CESifo Research Network, collaborating with international scholars on tax policy research with significant policy implications.

As an active researcher in public finance, Dr. Risch's work bridges academic research and policy applications, particularly regarding business taxation, minimum wage effects, and tax enforcement strategies. His research has been cited in policy discussions and has influenced thinking about the distributional effects of tax policies.