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On the Design and Reform of Capital-Gains Taxation

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  • Auerbach, Alan J

Abstract

After reviewing recent work on the feasibility of taxing capital gains on accrual or in an equivalent manner. This paper develops and presents simulations of a model of household behavior. aimed at assessing the efficiency effects of this and other tax reforms, The model accounts for the portfolio choice and intertemporal consumption distortions that capital gains taxes induce under current law. Among the simulation results are; 1. Eliminating the "lock-in" effect through a revenue-neutral move to accrual taxation causes national saving to decline, as households face a lower tax on present consumption from appreciated assets and. by reallocating existing wealth more efficiently, need to save less for future contingencies. Despite reducing saving, however. such a reform increases economic efficiency. 2. A simple reduction in the rate of capital gains taxation reduces national saving even for very high intertemporal elasticities of substitution, because of the additional income effect associated with reduced taxes on previously accumulated gains and the more efficient reallocation of existing wealth. However, making the tax cut prospective. although increasing saving. delays portfolio rebalancing and need not improve efficiency.
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  • Auerbach, Alan J, 1992. "On the Design and Reform of Capital-Gains Taxation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 82(2), pages 263-267, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:82:y:1992:i:2:p:263-67
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    1. Fischer, Carolyn & Kerr, Suzi & Toman, Michael, 1998. "Using Emissions Trading to Regulate U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions: An Overview of Policy Design and Implementation Issues," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 51(3), pages 453-464, September.
    2. Strumpf, Koleman S., 1999. "Infrequent Assessments Distort Property Taxes: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 169-199, September.
    3. Cho, Myeonghwan, 2014. "The effect of capital gains taxation on small business transfers and start-ups," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 447-454.
    4. Poterba, James M., 2002. "Taxation, risk-taking, and household portfolio behavior," Handbook of Public Economics, in: A. J. Auerbach & M. Feldstein (ed.), Handbook of Public Economics, edition 1, volume 3, chapter 17, pages 1109-1171, Elsevier.
    5. Alan J. Auerbach, 1996. "Dynamic Revenue Estimation," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 10(1), pages 141-157, Winter.
    6. Steven M. Fazzari & Benjamin Herzon, 1995. "Capital Gains Tax Cuts, Investment, and Growth," Economics Working Paper Archive wp_147, Levy Economics Institute.
    7. Michael J. Brien & Stacy Dickert-Conlin & David A. Weaver, 2004. "Widows Waiting to Wed?: (Re)Marriage and Economic Incentives in Social Security Widow Benefits," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 39(3).
    8. Steven M. Fazzari, "undated". "The Investment-Finance Link, Investment and U.S. Fiscal Policy in the 1990s," Economics Public Policy Brief Archive 9, Levy Economics Institute.
    9. Niemann, Rainer & Sureth, Caren, 2009. "Investment effects of capital gains taxation under simultaneous investment and abandonment flexibility," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 77, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    10. Eduardo Engel & Alexander Galetovic, 1998. "¿Qué hacer con los impuestos que pagan las ganancias de capital en Chile?," Documentos de Trabajo 46, Centro de Economía Aplicada, Universidad de Chile.
    11. Michael Haliassos & Andrew B. Lyon, 1993. "Progressivity of Capital Gains Taxation with Optimal Portfolio Selection," NBER Working Papers 4253, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Giampaolo Arachi & Massimo D'Antoni, 2022. "Taxation of capital gains upon accrual: is it really more efficient than realisation?," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(1), pages 39-61, March.
    13. Schindler, Dirk & Hilgers, Bodo, 2002. "Shall We Tax the Risk Premium?," CoFE Discussion Papers 02/17, University of Konstanz, Center of Finance and Econometrics (CoFE).
    14. Gary, Robert F. & Moore, Jared A. & Sisneros, Craig A. & Terando, William D., 2016. "The impact of tax rate changes on intercorporate investment," Advances in accounting, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 55-63.

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