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Capital income taxation when inherited wealth is not observable

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Author Info
CREMER, Helmuth
PESTIEAU, Pierre
ROCHET, Jean-Charles

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Abstract

This paper extends the Atkinson-Stiglitz model of direct and indirect taxation to a dynamic setting with two unobservable characteristics: productive ability and inherited wealth. Bequests are motivated by the "joy of giving". A child's inheritance is a random variable with a probability distribution that depends on his parent's investment in a "bequest technology". Public borrowing is assumed and implies the modified golden rule. We study the optimal tax policy when two instruments are available: a non-linear (wage) income tax and a proportional tax on capital income. We show that the second instrument ought, in general, to be used but that the tax rate is not necessarily positive. However, a positive tax rate is more likely when there is a positive correlation between inherited wealth and innate ability.

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Paper provided by Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE) in its series CORE Discussion Papers with number 2001020.

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Date of creation: 01 Apr 2001
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Handle: RePEc:cor:louvco:2001020

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Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
  1. Cremer, Helmuth & Gahvari, Firouz, 1995. "Uncertainty, Optimal Taxation and the Direct versus Indirect Tax Controversy," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 105(432), pages 1165-79, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Cremer, Helmuth & Pestieau, Pierre & Rochet, Jean-Charles, 2001. "Direct versus Indirect Taxation: The Design of the Tax Structure Revisted," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 42(3), pages 781-99, August.
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  3. Arrondel, L. & Masson, A. & Pestieau, P., 1996. "Bequest and inheritance: empirical issues and France-U.S. comparison," DELTA Working Papers 96-19, DELTA (Ecole normale supérieure).
  4. Ulrike Vogelgesang & Ulrike Ludden, 1999. "Optimal Capital Income Taxation and Redistribution," GK working paper series 1999-10, Post Graduate Programme "Allocation on Financial Markets", University of Mannheim, revised Apr 2000. [Downloadable!]
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  5. Chamley, Christophe, 1986. "Optimal Taxation of Capital Income in General Equilibrium with Infinite Lives," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(3), pages 607-22, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Glomm, Gerhard & Ravikumar, B, 1992. "Public versus Private Investment in Human Capital Endogenous Growth and Income Inequality," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 100(4), pages 813-34, August.
  7. Atkinson, A B & Sandmo, A, 1980. "Welfare Implications of the Taxation of Savings," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 90(359), pages 529-49, September. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  8. Mirrlees, James A, 1971. "An Exploration in the Theory of Optimum Income Taxation," Review of Economic Studies, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 38(114), pages 175-208, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Boadway, Robin & Marchand, Maurice & Pestieau, Pierre, 2000. " Redistribution with Unobservable Bequests: A Case for Taxing Capital Income," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 102(2), pages 253-67, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. Andreoni, James, 1990. "Impure Altruism and Donations to Public Goods: A Theory of Warm-Glow Giving?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 100(401), pages 464-77, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  11. Gevers, Louis & Michel, Philippe, 1998. "Economic Dynasties with Intermissions," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 251-271, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  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. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  1. Christian Kleiber & Martin Sexauer & Klaus Wälde, 2006. "Bequests, Taxation and the Distribution of Wealth in a General Equilibrium Model," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
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  2. Johann Brunner & Susanne Pech, 2008. "Optimum taxation of life annuities," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer, vol. 30(2), pages 285-303, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  3. Johann K. Brunner & Susanne Pech, 2008. "Optimum Taxation of Inheritances," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
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  4. Costa, Carlos Eugênio da, 2005. "Yet Another Reason to Tax Goods," Economics Working Papers (Ensaios Economicos da EPGE) 596, Graduate School of Economics, Getulio Vargas Foundation (Brazil). [Downloadable!]
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  5. Alberto Petrucci, 2007. "Optimal Taxation of Capital Income in Models with Endogenous Fertility," Development Working Papers 228, Centro Studi Luca d\'Agliano, University of Milano. [Downloadable!]
  6. Helmuth Cremer & ) & Pierre Pestieau, 2004. "Wealth Trasfer Taxation: A Survey," Public Economics 0401004, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
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  7. Peter Diamond, 2009. "Taxes and Pensions," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
  8. Helmuth Cremer & Philippe de Donder & Darío Maldonado & Pierre Pestieau, 2008. "Forced Saving, Redistribution and Nonlinear Social Security Schemes," CESifo Working Paper Series CESifo Working Paper No. , CESifo Group Munich. [Downloadable!]
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  9. Vidar Christiansen & Matti Tuomala, 2008. "On taxing capital income with income shifting," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer, vol. 15(4), pages 527-545, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  10. Cremer, Helmuth & Pestieau, Pierre, 2004. "Intergenerational Transfer of Human Capital and Optimal Education Policy," IDEI Working Papers 318, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse. [Downloadable!]
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