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Optimal Factor Tax Incidence in Two-sector Human Capital-based Models

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Abstract

This paper studies the optimal factor tax incidence in a standard two-sector, human capital-based endogenous growth model elucidated by Lucas (1988). Capital income taxes generate dynamic inefficiency for capital accumulation and labor income taxes create dynamic inefficiency for human capital accumulation. A factor tax incidence is a tradeoff between these two inefficiencies. A switch from capital income taxes to labor income taxes reduces the long-run welfare coming from lower leisure and increases the long-run welfare originated from higher economic growth and higher consumption. Because the representative agent’s learning time and human capital are inseparable and thus affect learning activities at the same degree, we find that based on the current US income tax code, it is optimal to first tax capital income, and to resort to taxing labor income only when tax revenue is insufficient to cover government expenditure.

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  • Been-Lon Chen & Chia-Hui Lu, 2012. "Optimal Factor Tax Incidence in Two-sector Human Capital-based Models," IEAS Working Paper : academic research 12-A018, Institute of Economics, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.
    • Handle: RePEc:sin:wpaper:12-a018
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    1. is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Wai-Hong Ho & Yong Wang, 2015. "Capital Income Taxation Revisited: The Roles of Information Friction and External Finance," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(2), pages 225-242, May.
    3. Long, Xin & Pelloni, Alessandra, 2017. "Factor income taxation in a horizontal innovation model," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 137-159.
    4. Chen, Been-Lon & Chen, Hung-Ju & Wang, Ping, 2021. "Long-Run Tax Incidence In A Human-Capital-Based Endogenous Growth Model With Labor-Market Frictions," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 25(2), pages 337-378, March.
    5. Chen, Ping-Ho & Chu, Angus C. & Chu, Hsun & Lai, Ching-Chong, 2023. "Optimal capital taxation in an economy with innovation-driven growth," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 27(3), pages 635-668, April.
    6. Jiunn Wang & Laura Marsiliani & Thomas Renstrom, 2017. "Tax Reform, Unhealthy Commodities and Endogenous Health," Department of Economics Working Papers 2017_12, Durham University, Department of Economics.
    7. Chia-Hui Lu & Been-Lon Chen, 2015. "Optimal Capital Taxation in a Neoclassical Growth Model," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 17(2), pages 257-269, April.
    8. Shu‐Hua Chen, 2018. "The Credit‐Channel Transmission Mechanism And The Nonlinear Growth And Welfare Effects Of Inflation And Taxes," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 56(2), pages 724-744, April.
    9. Chien, YiLi & Wen, Yi, 2023. "Optimal fiscal policy under capital overaccumulation," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 27(6), pages 1706-1736, September.
    10. Chen, Ping-ho & Chu, Angus C. & Chu, Hsun & Lai, Ching-chong, 2017. "Short-run and long-run effects of capital taxation on innovation and economic growth," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 207-221.
    11. Shu-Hua Chen, 2015. "Fiscal and Monetary Policies in a Transactions-Based Endogenous Growth Model with Imperfect Competition," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 66(1), pages 89-111, March.
    12. Takumi Naito, 2019. "A larger country sets a lower optimal tariff," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(2), pages 643-665, May.
    13. Tenryu, Yohei, 2017. "Capital Income Tax, Linear R&D Technology, and Economic Growth," MPRA Paper 78706, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Been-Lo Chen & Fei-Chi Liang, 2024. "Optimal Taxation in the Life Cycle with Human Capital Investment," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 52, pages 21-45, April.
    15. Tenryu, Yohei, 2017. "Capital Income Tax, R&D Technology, and Economic Growth," MPRA Paper 123794, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 27 Feb 2025.
    16. Halkos, George & Paizanos, Epameinondas, 2015. "Fiscal policy and economic performance: A review of the theoretical and empirical literature," MPRA Paper 67737, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    17. Masaya Yasuoka & Minoru Hayashida, 2015. "How should a government finance redistribution policies?," Discussion Paper Series 136, School of Economics, Kwansei Gakuin University, revised Oct 2015.
    18. Ceyhun Elgin & Hasan kadir Tosun, 2017. "A note on informality and public trust," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 37(4), pages 2595-2601.
    19. repec:rim:rimwps:20-20 is not listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H22 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Incidence
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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