IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/hpe/journl/y2019v231i4p81-124.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How Did the ‘Dualization’ of the Spanish Income Tax Affect Horizontal Equity? Assessing its Impact Using Copula Functions

Author

Listed:
  • Carlos Díaz-Caro

    (Universidad de Extremadura)

  • Jorge Onrubia

    (Instituto Complutense de Estudios Internacionales)

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to assess horizontal inequity (HI) caused by the introduction of a (semi-) dual structure for the Spanish personal income tax (PIT), adopting a copula function-based measurement framework. Following Bø et al. (2012), we estimate the Clayton, Frank and Gumbel copulas, belonging to the Archimedean class, to quantify the impact of the 2007 Spanish PIT reform on HI, comparing it with the previous tax design applied in 2006. In order to identify possible anticipation and adaptation effects, the analysis covers the 2004-2010 period. This research employs microdata from the Spanish PIT Return Panel. Results reveal two effects of the reform on the HI working in opposite directions: while the partition of the taxable income into two bases (one is taxed at ˜at rate) increases the HI, the transformation of personal and family allowances into tax credits reduces it. The predominance of one effect over the other depends on the equivalence scale applied.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Díaz-Caro & Jorge Onrubia, 2019. "How Did the ‘Dualization’ of the Spanish Income Tax Affect Horizontal Equity? Assessing its Impact Using Copula Functions," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 231(4), pages 81-124, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:hpe:journl:y:2019:v:231:i:4:p:81-124
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://hpe-rpe.org/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php?juwpfisadmin=false&action=wpfd&task=file.download&wpfd_category_id=184&wpfd_file_id=4280&token=94b949bc52e91326c761415974a6e8ea&preview=1
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shirley B. Johnson & Thomas Mayer, 1962. "An Extension of Sidgwick's Equity Principle," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 76(3), pages 454-463.
    2. Robin Boadway, 2004. "The Dual Income Tax System - An Overview," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 2(03), pages 03-08, October.
    3. Duclos, Jean-Yves & Jalbert, Vincent & Araar, Abdelkrim, 2003. "Classical Horizontal Inequity and Reranking: an Integrating Approach," Cahiers de recherche 0306, CIRPEE.
    4. Cyril Caillault & Dominique Guegan, 2005. "Empirical estimation of tail dependence using copulas: application to Asian markets," Quantitative Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(5), pages 489-501.
    5. Frank A. Cowell, 1985. "Measures of Distributional Change: An Axiomatic Approach," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 52(1), pages 135-151.
    6. repec:ces:ifodic:v:3:y:2005:i:1:p:14567534 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Kaplow, Louis, 1989. "Horizontal Equity: Measures in Search of a Principle," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association, vol. 42(2), pages 139-54, June.
    8. Alan J. Auerbach & Kevin A. Hassett, 2002. "A New Measure of Horizontal Equity," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(4), pages 1116-1125, September.
    9. Julio López‐Laborda & Jaime Vallés‐Giménez & Anabel Zárate‐Marco, 2018. "Income Shifting in the Spanish Dual Income Tax," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(1), pages 95-120, March.
    10. Bernd Genser & Andreas Reutter, 2007. "Moving Towards Dual Income Taxation in Europe," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 63(3), pages 436-456, September.
    11. Valentino Dardanoni & Peter Lambert, 2001. "Horizontal inequity comparisons," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 18(4), pages 799-816.
    12. Feldstein, Martin, 1976. "On the theory of tax reform," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 6(1-2), pages 77-104.
    13. Erlend Bø & Peter Lambert & Thor Thoresen, 2012. "Horizontal inequity under a dual income tax system: principles and measurement," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 19(5), pages 625-640, October.
    14. Aronson, J Richard & Johnson, Paul & Lambert, Peter J, 1994. "Redistributive Effects and Unequal Income Tax Treatment," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 104(423), pages 262-270, March.
    15. Jean‐Yves Duclos & Peter J. Lambert, 2000. "A normative and statistical approach to measuring classical horizontal inequity," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 33(1), pages 87-113, February.
    16. Annette Alstadsæter & Martin Jacob, 2016. "Dividend Taxes and Income Shifting," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 118(4), pages 693-717, October.
    17. (IFS), Institute for Fiscal Studies (ed.), 2010. "Dimensions of Tax Design: The Mirrlees Review," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199553754.
    18. Wolfgang Eggert & Bernd Genser, 2005. "Dual Income Taxation in EU Member Countries," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 3(1), pages 41-47, 04.
    19. Brennan, Geoffrey, 1971. "Horizontal Equity: An Extension of an Extension," Public Finance = Finances publiques, , vol. 26(3), pages 437-456.
    20. King, Mervyn A, 1983. "An Index of Inequality: With Applications to Horizontal Equity and Social Mobility," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 51(1), pages 99-115, January.
    21. Irene Perrote & Juan Gabriel Rodríguez & Rafael Salas, 2003. "La inequidad horizontal y la redistribución vertical en el Impuesto sobre la Renta de las Personas Físicas: Un análisis de robustez," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 166(3), pages 49-60, September.
    22. A. B. Atkinson & F. Bourguignon, 1982. "The Comparison of Multi-Dimensioned Distributions of Economic Status," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 49(2), pages 183-201.
    23. Jarkko Harju & Tuomas Matikka, 2016. "The elasticity of taxable income and income-shifting: what is “real” and what is not?," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 23(4), pages 640-669, August.
    24. Jean-Yves Duclos & Peter J. Lambert, 2000. "A normative and statistical approach to measuring classical horizontal inequity," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 33(1), pages 87-113, February.
    25. Carlos Díaz Caro & Jorge Onrubia Fernández & Jesús Pérez Mayo, 2013. "Progresividad y redistribución por fuentes de renta en el IRPF dual," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 206(3), pages 57-87, September.
    26. Robin Boadway, 2011. "Individual Income Taxation: Income, Consumption, or Dual?," Chapters, in: Emilio Albi & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez (ed.), The Elgar Guide to Tax Systems, chapter 3, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    27. Lambert Peter J. & Thoresen Thor O., 2012. "The Inequality Effects of a Dual Income Tax System," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, July.
    28. Kaplow, Louis, 1989. "Horizontal Equity: Measures in Search of a Principle," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 42(2), pages 139-154, June.
    29. repec:ces:ifodic:v:2:y:2004:i:3:p:14567748 is not listed on IDEAS
    30. Wolfgang Eggert & Bernd Genser, 2005. "Dual Income Taxation in EU Member Countries," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 3(01), pages 41-47, April.
    31. Atkinson, A. B. & Stiglitz, J. E., 1976. "The design of tax structure: Direct versus indirect taxation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 6(1-2), pages 55-75.
    32. Nielsen, Soren Bo & Sorensen, Peter Birch, 1997. "On the optimality of the Nordic system of dual income taxation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 311-329, February.
    33. Jorge Onrubia & Fidel Picos-Sánchez & María Carmen Rodado, 2014. "Rethinking the Pfähler–Lambert decomposition to analyse real-world personal income taxes," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 21(4), pages 796-812, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Stefano Boscolo, 2020. "On the Horizontal Inequity Effect of the Erosion of the PIT Base: The Case of Italy," Department of Economics (DEMB) 0176, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Department of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    2. Stefano Boscolo, 2020. "On the Horizontal Inequity Effect of the Erosion of the PIT Base: The Case of Italy," Department of Economics 0176, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Carlos Díaz Caro & Jorge Onrubia Fernández, 2014. "Inequidad horizontal en el IRPF dual espanol," Studies on the Spanish Economy eee2014-08, FEDEA.
    2. Erlend Bø & Peter Lambert & Thor Thoresen, 2012. "Horizontal inequity under a dual income tax system: principles and measurement," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 19(5), pages 625-640, October.
    3. Lambert Peter J. & Thoresen Thor O., 2012. "The Inequality Effects of a Dual Income Tax System," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, July.
    4. Jean-Yves Duclos, 2006. "Equity and Equality," Cahiers de recherche 0629, CIRPEE.
    5. Jean‐Yves Duclos, 2006. "Innis Lecture: Equity and equality," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(4), pages 1073-1104, November.
    6. Duclos, Jean-Yves & Jalbert, Vincent & Araar, Abdelkrim, 2000. "Classical Horizontal Inequity and Reranking: an Integrated Approach," Cahiers de recherche 0002, Université Laval - Département d'économique.
    7. Duclos, Jean-Yves & Jalbert, Vincent & Araar, Abdelkrim, 2003. "Classical Horizontal Inequity and Reranking: an Integrating Approach," Cahiers de recherche 0306, CIRPEE.
    8. Henrik Jordahl & Luca Micheletto, 2005. "Optimal Utilitarian Taxation and Horizontal Equity," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 7(4), pages 681-708, October.
    9. Sami Bibi, 2003. "Does The Specification of A New Class of Poverty Measures Matter? Evidence from Tunisia," Working Papers 0327, Economic Research Forum, revised Sep 2003.
    10. Bibi, Sami & Duclos, Jean-Yves, 2007. "Equity and policy effectiveness with imperfect targeting," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(1), pages 109-140, May.
    11. Peter J. Lambert, 2004. "Income Taxation and Equity," Working Papers 2004/4, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).
    12. Ivica Urban, 2009. "Kakwani decomposition of redistributive effect: Origins, critics and upgrades," Working Papers 148, ECINEQ, Society for the Study of Economic Inequality.
    13. Alan J. Auerbach & Kevin A. Hassett, 2002. "A New Measure of Horizontal Equity," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(4), pages 1116-1125, September.
    14. Stefano Boscolo, 2020. "On the Horizontal Inequity Effect of the Erosion of the PIT Base: The Case of Italy," Department of Economics 0176, University of Modena and Reggio E., Faculty of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    15. Ivica Urban, 2014. "Contributions of taxes and benefits to vertical and horizontal effects," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 42(3), pages 619-645, March.
    16. Stefano Boscolo, 2020. "On the Horizontal Inequity Effect of the Erosion of the PIT Base: The Case of Italy," Department of Economics (DEMB) 0176, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Department of Economics "Marco Biagi".
    17. Arnaldur Kristjánsson & Peter Lambert, 2015. "Structural progression measures for dual income tax systems," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, March.
    18. Stoian, Andreea & Vintila, Nicoleta & Tatu, Lucian & Miricescu, Emilian, 2018. "On the fairness and the redistributive effects of PIT in Central and Eastern European countries," MPRA Paper 86568, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Carlos Díaz Caro & Jorge Onrubia Fernández & Jesús Pérez Mayo, 2013. "Progresividad y redistribución por fuentes de renta en el IRPF dual," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 206(3), pages 57-87, September.
    20. Nolan, Matt, 2018. "Horizontal and Vertical Equity in the New Zealand Tax-Transfer System: 1988-2013," Working Paper Series 7657, Victoria University of Wellington, Chair in Public Finance.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    dual income tax; Spanish PIT; horizontal equity; copula functions; reranking.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:hpe:journl:y:2019:v:231:i:4:p:81-124. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Miguel Gómez de Antonio (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/iefgves.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.