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Optimal Inflation with Corporate Taxation and Financial Constraints

Author

Listed:
  • Finocchiaro, Daria

    (Research Department, Central Bank of Sweden)

  • Lombardo, Giovanni

    (Bank for International Settlements)

  • Mendicino, Caterina

    (European Central Bank)

  • Weil, Philippe

    (Université Libre de Bruxelles)

Abstract

This paper revisits the equilibrium and welfare effects of long-run inflation in the presence of distortionary taxes and financial constraints. Expected inflation interacts with corporate taxation through the deductibility of i) capital expenditures at historical value and ii) interest payments on debt. Through the first channel, inflation increases firms’ taxable profits and further distorts their investment decisions. Through the second, expected inflation affects the effective real interest rate negatively, relaxes firms’ financial constraints and stimulates investment. We show that, in the presence of collateralized debt, the second effect dominates. Therefore, in contrast to earlier literature, we find that when the tax code creates an advantage of debt financing, a positive rate of long-run inflation is beneficial in terms of welfare as it mitigates the financial distortion and spurs capital accumulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Finocchiaro, Daria & Lombardo, Giovanni & Mendicino, Caterina & Weil, Philippe, 2015. "Optimal Inflation with Corporate Taxation and Financial Constraints," Working Paper Series 311, Sveriges Riksbank (Central Bank of Sweden).
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:rbnkwp:0311
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    2. Cecion, Martina & Coenen, Günter & Gerke, Rafael & Le Bihan, Hervé & Motto, Roberto & Aguilar, Pablo & Ajevskis, Viktors & Giesen, Sebastian & Albertazzi, Ugo & Gilbert, Niels & Al-Haschimi, Alexander, 2021. "The ECB’s price stability framework: past experience, and current and future challenges," Occasional Paper Series 269, European Central Bank.
    3. Paola Boel & Julian Diaz & Daria Finocchiaro, 2021. "Liquidity, Capital Pledgeability and Inflation Redistribution," Working Papers 21-26, Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland.
    4. Wei-Bin Zhang, 2020. "Inflation And Growth With The Miu Approach And The Equation Of Exchange," Social Sciences and Education Research Review, Department of Communication, Journalism and Education Sciences, University of Craiova, vol. 7(1), pages 45-71, July.
    5. Apel, Mikael & Armelius, Hanna & Claussen, Carl Andreas, 2017. "The level of the inflation target – a review of the issues," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue 2, pages 36-56.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    optimal monetary policy; Friedman rule; credit frictions; tax benefits of debt;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E31 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Price Level; Inflation; Deflation
    • E43 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Interest Rates: Determination, Term Structure, and Effects
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill

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