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Labor Supply Responses to Learning the Tax and Benefit Schedule

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  • Andreas R. Kostøl
  • Andreas S. Myhre

Abstract

Despite the implications for policy, empirical evidence on the relative importance of factors that shape labor supply responses is missing. This paper helps fill this gap and quantifies the role of information frictions versus other frictions by combining notches in the Norwegian welfare system and quasi-experimental variation in access to information about the slope and location of kinks. While we estimate a frictionless elasticity of 0.3, overall frictions attenuate this elasticity by about 70 percent. We find the information letter increased the earnings elasticity from 0.06 to 0.15, implying that information frictions account for at least 30 percent of total attenuation.

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  • Andreas R. Kostøl & Andreas S. Myhre, 2021. "Labor Supply Responses to Learning the Tax and Benefit Schedule," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(11), pages 3733-3766, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:111:y:2021:i:11:p:3733-66
    DOI: 10.1257/aer.20201877
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    Cited by:

    1. Andrew Caplin & Eungik Lee & Søren Leth-Petersen & Johan Sæverud, 2022. "Communicating Social Security Reform," NBER Working Papers 30645, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Andreas Haller & Stefan Staubli & Josef Zweimüller, 2024. "Designing Disability Insurance Reforms: Tightening Eligibility Rules or Reducing Benefits?," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 92(1), pages 79-110, January.
    3. Dalia Ghanem & D'esir'e K'edagni & Ismael Mourifi'e, 2023. "Evaluating the Impact of Regulatory Policies on Social Welfare in Difference-in-Difference Settings," Papers 2306.04494, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2023.
    4. Hélène Benghalem & Pierre Cahuc & Pierre Villedieu, 2022. "The Lock-in Effects of Part-Time Unemployment Benefits," Working Papers hal-03881625, HAL.
    5. Juliana Londoño-Vélez & Javier Avila-Mahecha, 2024. "Behavioral Responses to Wealth Taxation: Evidence from Colombia," NBER Working Papers 32134, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Nyman, Pär & Aggeborn, Linuz & Ahlskog, Rafael, 2022. "Filling in the blanks. How does information about the Swedish EITC affect labour supply?," Working Paper Series 2022:9, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    7. Hélène Benghalem & Pierre Cahuc & Pierre Villedieu, 2022. "The Lock-in Effects of Part-Time Unemployment Benefits," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-03881625, HAL.
    8. Spencer Bastani, 2023. "The Marginal Cost of Public Funds: A Brief Guide," CESifo Working Paper Series 10322, CESifo.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D83 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J28 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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