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The Optimal Tax Rate for Capital Income is Negative

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Author Info
Kenneth L. Judd

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Abstract

We examine the problem of optimal taxation in a dynamic economy with imperfectly competitive markets. We find that the optimal tax system will tend to provide subsidies for the purchase of capital goods to offset gaps between price and marginal cost. The average tax on capital income will be negative, even if pure profits are not taxed away and even if the alternative distortionary taxes have an infinite efficiency cost. These arguments hold even if it is necessary to tax consumption goods which also sell above marginal cost; the difference is that capital goods are intermediate goods and consumption goods are final goods. Since observed markups are greater for equipment than for construction, this analysis justifies the Investment Tax Credit's discrimination in favor of equipment over structures.

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Paper provided by National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc in its series NBER Working Papers with number 6004.

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Date of creation: Apr 1997
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Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:6004

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation

References listed on IDEAS
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  1. Ian Domowitz & R. Glenn Hubbard & Bruce C. Petersen, 1986. "Business Cycles and the Relationship Between Concentration and Price-Cost Margins," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 17(1), pages 1-17, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. Larry E. Jones & Rodolfo E. Manuelli & Peter E. Rossi, 1993. "On the Optimal Taxation of Capital Income," NBER Working Papers 4525, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  3. Nancy L. Stokey, 1981. "Rational Expectations and Durable Goods Pricing," Bell Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 12(1), pages 112-128, Spring. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  4. Appelbaum, Elie, 1982. "The estimation of the degree of oligopoly power," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 19(2-3), pages 287-299, August. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  5. Bulow, Jeremy I, 1982. "Durable-Goods Monopolists," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 90(2), pages 314-32, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  6. Judd, Kenneth L, 1985. "On the Performance of Patents," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 53(3), pages 567-85, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  7. Judd, Kenneth L., 1985. "Redistributive taxation in a simple perfect foresight model," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 59-83, October. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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(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.)

  1. David Domeij, 2005. "Optimal Capital Taxation and Labor Market Search," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 8(3), pages 623-650, July. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  2. John W. Diamond & George R. Zodrow, 2007. "Economic Effects of A Personal Capital Income Tax Add-on to a Consumption Tax," International Studies Program Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0715, International Studies Program, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University. [Downloadable!]
  3. Pablo Serra & Daniel Hojman, 2000. "A Note on the Optimality of the Cash Flow Tax," Documentos de Trabajo 83, Centro de Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Chile. [Downloadable!]
  4. Martin D. Dietz, 2004. "Dividend and Capital Gains Taxation in a Cross-Section of Firms," Public Economics 0405004, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  5. Koskela, Erkki & von Thadden, Leopold, 2002. "Optimal factor taxation under wage bargaining – a dynamic perspective," Discussion Paper Series 1: Economic Studies 2002,31, Deutsche Bundesbank, Research Centre. [Downloadable!]
  6. Susanto Basu & John G. Fernald, 1997. "Aggregate productivity and aggregate technology," International Finance Discussion Papers 593, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.). [Downloadable!]
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  7. Javier Coto-Martínez & Carlos Garriga & Fernando Sánchez-Losada, 2007. "Optimal taxation with imperfect competition and aggregate returns to specialization," Working Papers 2007-036, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. [Downloadable!]
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  8. Alan J. Auerbach, 2006. "The Choice Between Income and Consumption Taxes: A Primer," NBER Working Papers 12307, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
  9. Javier Coto-Martinez & Carlos Gariga & Fernando Sanchez-Losada, 2004. "Optimal taxation with imperfect competition and increasing returns to specialization," City University Economics Discussion Papers 04/10, Department of Economics, City University, London. [Downloadable!]
  10. Alan J. Auerbach & James R. Hines Jr., 2001. "Taxation and Economic Efficiency," NBER Working Papers 8181, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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