Merle Erickson

Merle Erickson is a Professor of Accounting at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. His research examines how taxation influences corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, while analyzing accounting information's role in valuation and fraud detection.

• PhD in Accounting (University of Arizona, 1996)
• MBA (Arizona State University, 1989)
• Bachelor's in Accounting (Rockhurst College, 1987)

His research interests include:

• Tax implications in business decision-making
• Accounting fraud and audit failures
• Employee stock option accounting
• Complex tax structures in mergers/acquisitions
• SEC and IRS compliance
• Financial statement restatements

Publications highlight trends in tax strategy, accounting fraud detection, and transaction structuring. His textbook Taxes and Business Strategy (7th edition) remains a seminal reference.

• Outstanding Manuscript Award (American Taxation Association, 2x)
• Teaching Innovation Award (American Taxation Association)
• BusinessWeek Outstanding Faculty recognition

Erickson directs Booth's executive education programs in Mergers and Acquisitions and Certified Private Wealth Advisor (CPWA). He has taught graduate courses at Booth and corporate programs for entities like Morgan Stanley, General Electric Capital, and the Investments & Wealth Institute.