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Debt Maturity: Is Long-Term Debt Optimal?

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Author Info
Laura Alfaro
Fabio Kanczuk

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Abstract

We model and calibrate the arguments in favor and against short-term and long-term debt. These arguments broadly include: maturity premium, sustainability, and service smoothing. We use a dynamic equilibrium model with tax distortions and government outlays uncertainty, and model maturity as the fraction of debt that needs to be rolled over every period. In the model, the benefits of defaulting are tempered by higher future interest rates. We then calibrate our artificial economy and solve for the optimal debt maturity for Brazil as an example of a developing country and the U.S. as an example of a mature economy. We obtain that the calibrated costs from defaulting on long-term debt more than offset costs associated with short-term debt. Therefore, short-term debt implies higher welfare levels.

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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number 13119.

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Date of creation: May 2007
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Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:13119

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy
F34 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Lending and Debt Problems
H63 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - Debt; Debt Management

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  1. Juan Carlos Hatchondo & Leonardo Martinez, 2009. "Long-duration bonds and sovereign defaults," Working Paper 08-02, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond. [Downloadable!]
  2. Broner, Fernando A & Lorenzoni, Guido & Schmukler, Sergio, 2007. "Why Do Emerging Economies Borrow Short Term?," CEPR Discussion Papers 6249, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
    Other versions:
  3. Laura Alfaro & Fabio Kanczuk, 2007. "Nominal versus Indexed Debt: A Quantitative Horse Race," NBER Working Papers 13131, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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