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Altruism, Incomplete Markets, and Tax Reform

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  • Selo Imrohoroglu

    (USC)

  • Ayse Imrohoroglu

    (USC)

  • Luisa Fuster

    (University of Toronto)

Abstract

We calibrate the model to the U.S. data and numerically characterize transition paths from the current tax system to a reformed system. All our experiments are revenue-neutral. Starting from the current tax code, we allow for transitions to reformed steady-states in which the capital income taxation or labor income taxation is eliminated, with the lost revenues replaced by a higher labor income or consumption tax. In all cases, the reformed steady-state yields significantly higher capital and consumption. When the capital income tax is replaced by a higher labor income tax, only 38.4% are in favor. Using a consumption tax instead of the labor income tax raises support for reform to 45.7%. Eliminating the capital income tax in a phased-out fashion and using the more efficient consumption tax to replace the lost revenues brings support to 71.4%.

Suggested Citation

  • Selo Imrohoroglu & Ayse Imrohoroglu & Luisa Fuster, 2007. "Altruism, Incomplete Markets, and Tax Reform," 2007 Meeting Papers 491, Society for Economic Dynamics.
  • Handle: RePEc:red:sed007:491
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    3. Tran, Chung & Wende, Sebastian, 2021. "On the marginal excess burden of taxation in an overlapping generations model," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    4. William B. Peterman & Erick Sager, 2022. "Optimal Public Debt with Life Cycle Motives," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 404-437, October.
    5. Rajnish Mehra & Facundo Piguillem & Edward C. Prescott, 2011. "Costly financial intermediation in neoclassical growth theory," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 2(1), pages 1-36, March.
    6. Luisa Fuster, 2022. "Macroeconomic and distributive effects of increasing taxes in Spain," SERIEs: Journal of the Spanish Economic Association, Springer;Spanish Economic Association, vol. 13(4), pages 613-648, December.
    7. Cagri S. Kumru & John Piggott, 2017. "Optimal Capital Income Taxation with Means-tested Benefits," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 64(3), pages 227-262, July.
    8. Mathieu-Bolh, Nathalie, 2010. "Welfare improving distributionally neutral tax reforms," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 1253-1268, September.
    9. Makoto Nakajima, 2010. "Optimal capital income taxation with housing," Working Papers 10-11, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
    10. Oikonomou, Rigas & Siegel, Christian, 2015. "Capital Taxes, Labor Taxes And The Household," Journal of Demographic Economics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 81(3), pages 217-260, September.
    11. Rajnish Mehra & Facundo Piguillem & Edward C. Prescott, 2007. "Intermediated quantities and returns," Working Papers 655, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    12. Heejeong Kim, 2022. "Education, Wage Dynamics, and Wealth Inequality," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 43, pages 217-240, January.
    13. Emin Gahramanov & Xueli Tang, 2013. "Should We Refinance Unfunded Social Security?," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 80(319), pages 532-565, July.
    14. Nawid Siassi, 2019. "Inequality and the Marriage Gap," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 31, pages 160-181, January.
    15. Kartik B. Athreya & Devin Reilly, 2009. "Consumption smoothing and the measured regressivity of consumption taxes," Economic Quarterly, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, vol. 95(Win), pages 75-100.
    16. Barczyk, Daniel, 2016. "Ricardian equivalence revisited: Deficits, gifts and bequests," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 1-24.

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