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No Taxation Without Reallocation: The Distributional Effects of Tax Changes

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  • Stephanie Ettmeier

Abstract

This paper quantifies the distributional effects of tax changes in the United States. A functional vector autoregression framework is used to estimate the joint dynamics of tax shocks, the cross-sectional distribution of disposable income, and macroeconomic aggregates. I distinguish between changes in personal and corporate income taxes and investigate the distributional effects on families and business owners. I document that tax changes affect incomes along the distribution unevenly and that the family status and the source of income matters. Tax reductions benefit high incomes and disadvantage lower incomes. Entrepreneurs and families benefit more from tax cuts than individuals without business income and non-families.

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  • Stephanie Ettmeier, 2023. "No Taxation Without Reallocation: The Distributional Effects of Tax Changes," CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series crctr224_2023_436, University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:bon:boncrc:crctr224_2023_436
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Income Distribution; Functional Vector Autoregressions; Tax Policy Shocks;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C11 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - Bayesian Analysis: General
    • C32 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Multiple or Simultaneous Equation Models; Multiple Variables - - - Time-Series Models; Dynamic Quantile Regressions; Dynamic Treatment Effect Models; Diffusion Processes; State Space Models
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory

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