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Optimal taxation and the Domar-Musgrave effect

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  • Brendan K. Beare
  • Alexis Akira Toda

Abstract

This article concerns the optimal choice of flat taxes on labor and capital income, and on consumption, in a tractable economic model in which agents are subject to idiosyncratic investment risk. We identify the tax rates which maximize welfare in stationary equilibrium while preserving tax revenue, finding that an increase in welfare equivalent to a permanent increase in consumption of nearly 7% can be achieved by only taxing capital income and consumption. The Domar-Musgrave effect explains cases where it is optimal to tax capital income. We characterize the dynamic response to the substitution of consumption taxation for labor income taxation.

Suggested Citation

  • Brendan K. Beare & Alexis Akira Toda, 2023. "Optimal taxation and the Domar-Musgrave effect," Papers 2311.05822, arXiv.org, revised Jun 2025.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2311.05822
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Andrew Atkeson & V. V. Chari & Patrick J. Kehoe, 1999. "Taxing capital income: a bad idea," Quarterly Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, vol. 23(Sum), pages 3-17.
    2. Evsey D. Domar & Richard A. Musgrave, 1944. "Proportional Income Taxation and Risk-Taking," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 58(3), pages 388-422.
    3. Fatih Guvenen & Gueorgui Kambourov & Burhan Kuruscu & Sergio Ocampo & Daphne Chen, 2023. "Use It or Lose It: Efficiency and Redistributional Effects of Wealth Taxation," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 138(2), pages 835-894.
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