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Dual Income Taxation: Why and how?

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  • Peter Birch Sørensen

Abstract

The dual income tax combines a progressive tax schedule for labour income with a low flat tax rate on capital income and corporate income. This paper restates the case for the dual income tax and discusses alternative methods of taxing business income under such a tax system, paying special attention to the taxation of income from closely held corporations. It is argued that the imputed normal return to shares in unlisted companies should be taxed as capital income, while above-normal returns should be subject to labour income tax. The paper demonstrates that such a tax scheme can be designed to be neutral towards the firm’s investment and financing decisions and towards the decisions of shareholders to realize their shares.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Birch Sørensen, 2005. "Dual Income Taxation: Why and how?," CESifo Working Paper Series 1551, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_1551
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    File URL: https://www.cesifo.org/DocDL/cesifo1_wp1551.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    3. Christian Keuschnigg & Martin Dietz, 2007. "A growth oriented dual income tax," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 14(2), pages 191-221, April.
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    6. 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.
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    11. 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.
    12. Ordover, J. A. & Phelps, E. S., 1979. "The concept of optimal taxation in the overlapping-generations model of capital and wealth," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 1-26, August.
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    14. Christoph Spengel & Wolfgang Wiegard, 2004. "Dual Income Tax: A Pragmatic Tax Reform Alternative for Germany," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 2(3), pages 15-22, October.
    15. Chamley, Christophe, 1986. "Optimal Taxation of Capital Income in General Equilibrium with Infinite Lives," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(3), pages 607-622, May.
    16. Christoph Spengel & Wolfgang Wiegard, 2004. "Dual Income Tax: A Pragmatic Tax Reform Alternative for Germany," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 2(03), pages 15-22, October.
    17. Mikael Apel & Jan Södersten, 1999. "Personal Taxation and Investment Incentives in a Small Open Economy," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 6(1), pages 79-88, February.
    18. Kåre Petter Hagen & Peter Birch Sørensen, 1998. "Taxation of Income from Small Businesses: Taxation Principles and Tax Reforms in the Nordic Countries," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Peter Birch Sørensen (ed.), Tax Policy in the Nordic Countries, chapter 2, pages 28-71, Palgrave Macmillan.
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    20. 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.
    21. Krister Andersson & Vesa Kanniainen & Jan Södersten & Peter Birch Sørensen, 1998. "Corporate Tax Policy in the Nordic Countries," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Peter Birch Sørensen (ed.), Tax Policy in the Nordic Countries, chapter 3, pages 72-137, Palgrave Macmillan.
    22. Chamley, Christophe, 2001. "Capital income taxation, wealth distribution and borrowing constraints," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 79(1), pages 55-69, January.
    23. Gordon, Roger H, 1986. "Taxation of Investment and Savings in a World Economy," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(5), pages 1086-1102, December.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Michael P. Devereux & Peter Birch Sørensen, 2006. "The Corporate Income Tax: international trends and options for fundamental reform," European Economy - Economic Papers 2008 - 2015 264, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    2. Georg Gottholmseder & Heinz Handler, 2008. "Ziele und Optionen der Steuerreform: Reformoptionen für die Unternehmensbesteuerung," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 33943, April.
    3. Savina Finardi & Anna Melicharová, 2021. "Impact of Svarc system on Tax Revenues in the Czech Republic [Dopad švarcsystému na daňové příjmy v České repubice]," Český finanční a účetní časopis, Prague University of Economics and Business, vol. 2021(4), pages 19-29.
    4. repec:prg:jnlcfu:v:2021:y:2021:i:4:id:566 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Annette Alstadsæter & Erik Fjærli, 2009. "Neutral taxation of shareholder income? Corporate responses to an announced dividend tax," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 16(4), pages 571-604, August.
    6. Mario Mansour, 2015. "Tax Policy in MENA Countries: Looking Back and Forward," IMF Working Papers 2015/098, International Monetary Fund.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    dual income tax; tax neutrality; taxation of business income; shareholder income tax;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

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