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Do Capital Income Tax Cuts Trickle Down?

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  • Yang, Shu–Chun Susan

Abstract

Reductions in the capital income tax rate generally stimulate investment and raise the marginal product of labor and the wage rate. Hence, it is often argued that cutting capital income taxes benefits capital owners and all workers. This result, however, depends on how government manages debt to maintain budget solvency. This paper analyzes the distributional effects of capital tax cuts, where endogenous adjustments in other tax rates are precluded. When productive public investment or transfers to liquidity–constrained workers are reduced, it finds that the trickle–down effect may not hold. This paper also demonstrates a well–known fallacy: tax liability changes are a poor proxy for welfare changes.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang, Shu–Chun Susan, 2007. "Do Capital Income Tax Cuts Trickle Down?," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 60(3), pages 551-567, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:ntj:journl:v:60:y:2007:i:3:p:551-67
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    Cited by:

    1. Merter Akinci, 2018. "Inequality and economic growth: Trickle†down effect revisited," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S1), pages 1-24, March.
    2. Muriel Pucci & Bruno Tinel, 2010. "Réductions d'impôts et dette publique : un lien à ne pas occulter," Documents de travail du Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne 10085, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1), Centre d'Economie de la Sorbonne.
    3. Moldovan, Ioana R., 2010. "Countercyclical taxes in a monopolistically competitive environment," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(5), pages 692-717, July.

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