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Optimal Income Taxation with Multidimensional Taxpayer Types

Author

Listed:
  • Che-Lin Su

    (CMS-EMS Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University)

  • Kenneth L. Judd

    (Hoover Institution)

Abstract

Beginning with Mirrlees, the optimal taxation literature has generally focused on economies where individuals are differentiated by only their productivity. In this pa- per we examine models with discrete types where individuals are differentiated by two or more characteristics. For example, we examine the case where individuals also have different tastes for labor supply. We find that the extra dimensionality produces substantively different results, such as negative marginal tax rates for some high pro- ductivity taxpayers. This is a difficult nonlinear optimization problem because quite often, the linear independence constraint qualification does not hold at a solution. To robustly solve these degenerate nonlinear programs, we use the solver SNOPT, an SQP method with an elastic-mode. Our computational framework proposed in this paper can also be applied to solve problems that arise in multidimensional nonlinear pricing and mechanism design

Suggested Citation

  • Che-Lin Su & Kenneth L. Judd, 2006. "Optimal Income Taxation with Multidimensional Taxpayer Types," Computing in Economics and Finance 2006 471, Society for Computational Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:sce:scecfa:471
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    Cited by:

    1. Erwin Ooghe & Andreas Peichl, 2015. "Fair and Efficient Taxation under Partial Control," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 125(589), pages 2024-2051, December.
    2. Aspen Gorry & Ezra Oberfield, 2012. "Optimal Taxation Over the Life Cycle," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 15(4), pages 551-572, October.
    3. Weinzierl, Matthew, 2014. "The promise of positive optimal taxation: normative diversity and a role for equal sacrifice," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 128-142.
    4. Mikhail Golosov & Aleh Tsyvinski & Iván Werning, 2007. "New Dynamic Public Finance: A User's Guide," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2006, Volume 21, pages 317-388, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Ooghe, Erwin & Peichl, Andreas, 2010. "Fair and Efficient Taxation under Partial Control: Theory and Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 5388, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    6. Spencer Bastani & Sören Blomquist & Luca Micheletto, 2013. "The Welfare Gains Of Age‐Related Optimal Income Taxation," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 54, pages 1219-1249, November.
    7. Golosov, Mikhail & Troshkin, Maxim & Tsyvinski, Aleh & Weinzierl, Matthew, 2013. "Preference heterogeneity and optimal capital income taxation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 160-175.
    8. Sanna Tenhunen & Matti Tuomala, 2010. "On Optimal Lifetime Redistribution Policy," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 12(1), pages 171-198, February.
    9. Lockwood, Benjamin B. & Weinzierl, Matthew, 2015. "De Gustibus non est Taxandum: Heterogeneity in preferences and optimal redistribution," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 74-80.
    10. Spencer Bastani & Sören Blomquist & Luca Micheletto, 2013. "The Welfare Gains Of Age‐Related Optimal Income Taxation," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 54(4), pages 1219-1249, November.
    11. Alexander Ludwig & Dirk Krueger, 2015. "Optimal Capital and Progressive Labor Income Taxation with Endogenous Schooling Decisions and Intergenerational Transfers," 2015 Meeting Papers 334, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    12. Krueger, Dirk & Ludwig, Alexander, 2013. "On the Optimal Provision of Social Insurance," MEA discussion paper series 201302, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
    13. Krueger, Dirk & Ludwig, Alexander, 2016. "On the optimal provision of social insurance: Progressive taxation versus education subsidies in general equilibrium," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 72-98.
    14. Alexander Ludwig & Dirk Krueger, 2010. "Optimal Progressive Taxation and Education Subsidies in a Model of Endogenous Human Capital Formation," 2010 Meeting Papers 388, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    15. Mikhail Golosov & Aleh Tsyvinsky & Matthew Weinzierl, 2010. "Preference Heterogeneity and Optimal Capital Taxation," STICERD - Public Economics Programme Discussion Papers 07, Suntory and Toyota International Centres for Economics and Related Disciplines, LSE.
    16. N. Gregory Mankiw & Matthew Weinzierl & Danny Yagan, 2009. "Optimal Taxation in Theory and Practice," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 23(4), pages 147-174, Fall.
    17. Lee, Kyung-woo, 2015. "Optimal disability insurance with unobservable skill heterogeneity," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 94-109.
    18. Edyta Małecka-Ziembińska & Radosław Ziembiński, 2020. "Application of Genetic Algorithm to Optimal Income Taxation," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-24, October.
    19. Matti Tuomala & Sanna Tenhunen, 2013. "On the design of an optimal non-linear tax/pension system with habit formation," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 20(3), pages 485-512, June.
    20. Abuselidze, George, 2015. "Formation of Tax Policy in the Aspect of the Optimal Tax Burden," MPRA Paper 86277, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 02 Jun 2015.
    21. George Abuselidze, 2013. "Optimal Tax Policy - Financial Crisis Overcoming Factor," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 3(11), pages 1451-1459, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    optimal income taxation; multidimensional types; adverse selection; nonlinear optimization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation

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