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"What's Come to Perfection Perishes*": Adjusting Capital Gains Taxation in Italy

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  • Alworth, Julian
  • Arachi, Giampaolo
  • Hamaui, Rony

Abstract

Italy is the first country to have experimented with both accruals and retrospective capital gains taxation along the lines suggested by Vickrey (1939) and Meade (1978). This paper describes the Italian experience, highlighting its peculiar features and the lessons that can be learned by other countries wishing to pursue these approaches. It illustrates the mechanics of the adjustments to the realization based capital gains tax and how far they diverge from the original proposals. The paper also draws attention to the administrative and political difficulties encountered in implementing the reform. These factors ultimately resulted in a repeal of retrospective taxation, and, in due course, may also entail the abolition of taxation on an accrual basis. The paper highlights the crucial role that financial intermediaries can play in lowering compliance costs under a proportional tax system and the effects on tax revenues.

Suggested Citation

  • Alworth, Julian & Arachi, Giampaolo & Hamaui, Rony, 2003. ""What's Come to Perfection Perishes*": Adjusting Capital Gains Taxation in Italy," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 56(1), pages 197-219, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:ntj:journl:v:56:y:2003:i:1:p:197-219
    DOI: 10.17310/ntj.2003.1S.04
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Auerbach, Alan J. & Bradford, David F., 2004. "Generalized cash-flow taxation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(5), pages 957-980, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Auerbach, Alan J., 2006. "The Future of Capital Income Taxation," Department of Economics, Working Paper Series qt90v90406, Department of Economics, Institute for Business and Economic Research, UC Berkeley.
    2. Vincenzo Visco, 2014. "Capital and Business Taxation," ECONOMIA PUBBLICA, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2014(3), pages 81-111.
    3. Francesco Menoncin & Paolo Panteghini, 2009. "Retrospective Capital Gains Taxation in the Real World," CESifo Working Paper Series 2674, CESifo.
    4. Alan J. Auerbach, 2006. "The Future of Capital Income Taxation," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 27(4), pages 399-420, December.
    5. Matteo Dalle Luche & Demetrio Guzzardi & Elisa Palagi & Andrea Roventini & Alessandro Santoro, 2024. "Tackling the regressivity of the Italian tax system: An optimal taxation framework with heterogeneous returns to capital," LEM Papers Series 2024/26, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
    6. Francesco Menoncin & Paolo M. Panteghini, 2010. "Retrospective Capital Gains Taxation in a Dynamic Stochastic World," FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis, Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, vol. 66(3), pages 236-242, September.
    7. Marco Sahm, 2009. "Imitating Accrual Taxation On A Realization Basis," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 23(4), pages 734-761, September.
    8. Eisenhauer, Joseph G., 2011. "The rich, the poor, and the middle class: Thresholds and intensity indices," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(4), pages 294-304, December.
    9. 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.

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