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Distributive impacts of alternative tax structures. The case of Uruguay

Author

Listed:
  • Verónica Amarante

    (Instituto de Economía, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y de Administración, Universidad de la República)

  • Marisa Bucheli

    (Departamento de Economía, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de la República)

  • Cecilia Olivieri

    (Departamento de Economía, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de la República)

  • Ivone Perazzo

    (Instituto de Economía, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y de Administración, Universidad de la República)

Abstract

This article considers the distributional impact of different changes in Uruguayan tax system, using a static micro-simulation framework based on the combination of data from household and expenditure surveys. On the indirect taxes side, we consider two alternatives that imply the same reduction in tax revenue: a general reduction of 2 points in the VAT basic rate, and a selective reduction in the VAT rate applied to specific goods that make up a large share of consumption of low income population. In relation to direct taxes, we consider the effects of increasing the upper limit of the tax free zone of the labor component of the dual income tax. We analyze separately the impact of each of these changes, and we also simulate a joint scenario including changes in direct and indirect taxes. Our results indicate that redistribution through the analyzed modifications in direct and indirect taxes in Uruguay is limited.

Suggested Citation

  • Verónica Amarante & Marisa Bucheli & Cecilia Olivieri & Ivone Perazzo, 2011. "Distributive impacts of alternative tax structures. The case of Uruguay," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 0911, Department of Economics - dECON.
    • Handle: RePEc:ude:wpaper:0911
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    File URL: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/2198
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. François Bourguignon & Amedeo Spadaro, 2006. "Microsimulation as a tool for evaluating redistribution policies," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 4(1), pages 77-106, April.
    2. Suits, Daniel B, 1977. "Measurement of Tax Progressivity," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 67(4), pages 747-752, September.
    3. Jean-Yves Duclos & Abdelkrim Araar, 2006. "Poverty and Equity," Economic Studies in Inequality, Social Exclusion, and Well-Being, Springer, number 978-0-387-33318-2, Fall.
    4. Formby, John P & Seaks, Terry G & Smith, W James, 1981. "A Comparison of Two New Measures of Tax Progressivity [Measurement of Tax Progressivity: An International Comparison]. [Measurement of Tax Progressivity]," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 91(364), pages 1015-1019, December.
    5. Kakwani, Nanok C, 1977. "Measurement of Tax Progressivity: An International Comparison," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 87(345), pages 71-80, March.
    6. Eduardo Engel & Alexander Galetovic & Claudio Raddatz, 1998. "Reforma tributaria y distribución del ingreso en Chile," Documentos de Trabajo 40, Centro de Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Chile.
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    Cited by:

    1. Marisa Bucheli & Nora Lustig & Máximo Rossi & Florencia Amábile, 2014. "Social Spending, Taxes, and Income Redistribution in Uruguay," Public Finance Review, , vol. 42(3), pages 413-433, May.
    2. Marisa Bucheli, 2014. "Fiscal Policy and Equality of Opportunity in Uruguay," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 0314, Department of Economics - dECON.
    3. Marisa Bucheli & Nora Lustig & Máximo Rossi & Florencia Amábile, 2013. "How much redistribution does Uruguay accomplish through social spending and taxes?," Commitment to Equity (CEQ) Working Paper Series 1310, Tulane University, Department of Economics, revised Jul 2013.
    4. Verónica Amarante & Marco Colafranceschi & Andrea Vigorito, 2011. "Uruguay's Income Inequality and Political Regimes during 1981-2010," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2011-094, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    5. Marisa Bucheli & Maximo Rossi & Florencia Amábile, 2018. "Inequality and fiscal policies in Uruguay by race," The Journal of Economic Inequality, Springer;Society for the Study of Economic Inequality, vol. 16(3), pages 389-411, September.
    6. Gabriel Burdin & Fernando Esponda & Andrea Vigorito, 2004. "Inequality and Top Income in Uruguay: A Comparison between Household Surveys and Income Tax Micro-data," World Inequality Lab Working Papers halshs-02654095, HAL.
    7. Amarante, Veronica & Vigorito, Andrea, 2011. "Uruguayâ..s Income Inequality and Political Regimes during 1981â..2010," WIDER Working Paper Series 094, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    8. Gabriel Burdín & Fernando Esponda & Andrea Vigorito, 2014. "Inequality and top incomes in Uruguay: a comparison between household surveys and income tax micro-data," Commitment to Equity (CEQ) Working Paper Series 1321, Tulane University, Department of Economics.
    9. Louise Cord & Maria Eugenia Genoni & Carlos Rodriguez Castelan, 2015. "Shared Prosperity and Poverty Eradication in Latin America and the Caribbean," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 21751, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Retail; fiscal redistribution; income inequality; taxes;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General

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