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Are Elasticities of Taxable Income Rising?

Author

Listed:
  • Mr. Alexander D Klemm
  • Ms. Li Liu
  • Mr. Victor Mylonas
  • Mr. Philippe Wingender

Abstract

This paper assesses a possible explanation for the global downward trend in top personal income tax rates over the last decades: globalization and the related tax evasion and avoidance opportunities could have raised elasticities of taxable income, which would imply lower optimal tax rates. The paper estimates elasticities of taxable income for top income earners using a large sample of economies and years with a common method, allowing an analysis of trends in such elasticities. The paper finds that elasticities do not appear to exhibit any clear pattern over the years. The downward trend in tax rates must have other possible explanations, which are briefly discussed.

Suggested Citation

  • Mr. Alexander D Klemm & Ms. Li Liu & Mr. Victor Mylonas & Mr. Philippe Wingender, 2018. "Are Elasticities of Taxable Income Rising?," IMF Working Papers 2018/132, International Monetary Fund.
    • Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:2018/132
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Gancho Ganchev & Ivan Todorov, 2021. "Taxation, government spending and economic growth: The case of Bulgaria," Journal of Tax Reform, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Ural Federal University, vol. 7(3), pages 255-266.
    3. Miguel Almunia & David Lopez-Rodriguez, 2019. "The elasticity of taxable income in Spain: 1999–2014," SERIEs: Journal of the Spanish Economic Association, Springer;Spanish Economic Association, vol. 10(3), pages 281-320, November.
    4. Augusto Cerqua & Emma Galli, 2020. "Income tax rate increases and heterogeneous taxpayers’ reactions: a spatial regression discontinuity design," Working Papers 17/20, Sapienza University of Rome, DISS.
    5. Corti Paul Lakuma & Rehema Kahunde, 2023. "Global minimum corporate income tax: Challenges and prospects for Uganda," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2023-137, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

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