Randomization in Optimal Income Tax Schedules

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Randomization in Optimal Income Tax Schedules

Author Info

Dagobert L. Brito
Jonathan H. Hamilton
Steven M. Slutsky
Joseph E. Stiglitz

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Abstract

The optimal income tax problem, since it requires self-selection constraints which define nonconvex feasible sets, is one of the many problems in economics for which randomization in the solution may be desirable. For a two-class economy. we characterize the optimal random tax schedules and we present necessary and sufficient conditions for the desirability of local randomization. The standard single-crossing restriction on preferences is not required for these results. We also show that randomization can be beneficial without violating (ex post as well as ex ante) horizontal equity. Lastly, we give an example to demonstrate that the gains from randomization may be large.

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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number 3289.

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Date of creation: Jul 1995
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Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:3289

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Article
- Brito, Dagobert L. & Hamilton, Jonathan H. & Slutsky, Steven M. & Stiglitz, Joseph E., 1995. "Randomization in optimal income tax schedules," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(2), pages 189-223, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Paper
- Brito, D.L. & Hamilton, J.H. & Slutsky, S.M. & Stiglitz, J.E., 1989. "Randomization In Optimal Income Tax Schedules," Papers 89-6, Florida - College of Business Administration.

Cited by:
(explanations, 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.)

Dagobert L. Brito & Jonathan H. Hamilton & Steven M. Slutsky & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 1991. "Pareto Efficient Tax Structures," NBER Working Papers 3288, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Imran Rasul & Silvia Sonderegger, 2008. "The Role of the Agent's Outside Options in Principal-Agent Relationships," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 08/605, Department of Economics, University of Bristol, UK. [Downloadable!]
Marchese, Carla & Privileggi, Fabio, 2001. "Who participates in tax amnesties? Self-selection of risk-averse taxpayers," P.O.L.I.S. department's Working Papers 21, Department of Public Policy and Public Choice - POLIS. [Downloadable!]
Dagobert L. Brito & Jonathan H. Hamilton & Steven M. Slutsky & Joseph E. Stiglitz, 1991. "Dynamic Optimal Income Taxation with Government Commitment," NBER Working Papers 3265, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Other versions:
- Brito, D.L. & Hamilton, J.H. & Slutsky, S.H. & Stiglitz, J.E., 1989. "Dynamic Optimal Income Taxation With Government Commitment," Papers 89-8, Florida - College of Business Administration.
- Brito, Dagobert L. & Hamilton, Jonathan H. & Slutsky, Steven M. & Stiglitz, Joseph E., 1991. "Dynamic optimal income taxation with government commitment," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 15-35, February. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Carla Marchese & Fabio Privileggi, 2004. "Tax Amnesties and the Self-Selection of Risk-Averse Taxpayers," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 319-341, December. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Martin Hellwig, 2009. "Utilitarian Mechanism Design for an Excludable Public Good," Working Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2009_12, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods. [Downloadable!]
Martin Hellwig, 2005. "The Undesirability of Randomized Income Taxation under Decreasing Risk Aversion," Working Paper Series of the Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods 2005_27, Max Planck Institute for Research on Collective Goods. [Downloadable!]
Other versions:
- Hellwig, Martin F., 2007. "The undesirability of randomized income taxation under decreasing risk aversion," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(3-4), pages 791-816, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
Yukihiro Nishimura, 2009. "Redistributive taxation and social insurance under adverse selection in the insurance market," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 176-197, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)

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