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A Reconsideration of the Optimal Income Tax

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  • Kevin Roberts

Abstract

This paper develops a formula for the optimal nonlinear income tax, the terms of which are familiar from the theory of linear income taxation. The development uses the idea of a perturbation of the optimal schedule and is based upon as assumption of differentiability. It is also shown that the introduction of non-differentiability, implying bunching of taxpayers, may be desirable and, in this case, the optimal schedule may be difficult to determine. The analysis can be applied to nonlinear tax reform.

Suggested Citation

  • Kevin Roberts, 2000. "A Reconsideration of the Optimal Income Tax," Economics Series Working Papers 6, University of Oxford, Department of Economics.
  • Handle: RePEc:oxf:wpaper:6
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    File URL: https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:d428c7fe-a9c3-4c97-8c5e-76c115044b11
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jacquet, Laurence & Lehmann, Etienne & Van der Linden, Bruno, 2013. "Optimal redistributive taxation with both extensive and intensive responses," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 148(5), pages 1770-1805.
    2. Laurence Jacquet & Etienne Lehmann, 2021. "Optimal Income Taxation with Composition Effects," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 19(2), pages 1299-1341.
    3. Kaplow, Louis, 2006. "Public goods and the distribution of income," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 50(7), pages 1627-1660, October.
    4. Amedeo Spadaro, 2002. "Redistribución e incentivos a la oferta de trabajo: Desarrollos recientes de la teoría de la imposición óptima sobre la renta," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 160(1), pages 147-173, march.
    5. John T. Revesz, 2014. "A computational model of optimal commodity taxation," Public Finance Research Papers 4, Istituto di Economia e Finanza, DSGE, Sapienza University of Rome.
    6. Abuselidze, George, 2020. "Optimality of tax policy on the basis of comparative analysis of income taxation," MPRA Paper 104591, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Kanbur, Ravi & Tuomala, Matti, 2002. "Understanding The Evolution Of Inequality During Transition: The Optimal Income Taxation," Working Papers 7240, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    nonlinear taxation; income taxation; bunching; tax reform;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household

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