IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/zbw/esprep/144527.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The welfare effect of flat income tax reform: the case of Bulgaria

Author

Listed:
  • Vasilev, Aleksandar

Abstract

This paper is a first attempt to provide a quantitative evaluation of the welfare gains resulting from the introduction of flat income taxation in Bulgaria in 2008. Using a calibrated micro-founded endogenous growth model with physical and human capital accumulation to Bulgarian data, a computational experiment is performed to quantify the dynamic welfare effect of progressive income taxation vis-a-vis flat income taxation. The model demonstrates that significant welfare gains, measured in terms of per-period consumption, can be realized with the introduction of flat income taxation. In addition, these welfare gains increase proportionally with the length of the time horizon considered. Finally, sensitivity analysis was performed to demonstrate that the results obtained are robust.

Suggested Citation

  • Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2015. "The welfare effect of flat income tax reform: the case of Bulgaria," EconStor Preprints 144527, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:esprep:144527
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.econstor.eu/bitstream/10419/144527/1/flat_tax_Bulgaria_Vasilev_WP.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Azacis, Helmuts & Gillman, Max, 2010. "Flat tax reform: The Baltics 2000-2007," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 692-708, June.
    2. Rebelo, Sergio, 1991. "Long-Run Policy Analysis and Long-Run Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 99(3), pages 500-521, June.
    3. Ventura, Gustavo, 1999. "Flat tax reform: A quantitative exploration," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 23(9-10), pages 1425-1458, September.
    4. King, Robert G & Rebelo, Sergio, 1990. "Public Policy and Economic Growth: Developing Neoclassical Implications," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 126-150, October.
    5. Blot, J. & Chebbi, H., 2000. "Discrete time Pontryagin Principles with Infinite Horizon," Papiers d'Economie Mathématique et Applications 2000.20, Université Panthéon-Sorbonne (Paris 1).
    6. Ortigueira, Salvador, 1998. "Fiscal policy in an endogenous growth model with human capital accumulation," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 323-355, July.
    7. Juan Carlos Conesa & Timothy J. Kehoe & Kim J. Ruhl, 2007. "Modeling great depressions: the depression in Finland in the 1990s," Quarterly Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, vol. 31(Nov), pages 16-44.
    8. World Bank, 2014. "World Development Indicators 2014," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 18237, December.
    9. Kaloyan Ganev, 2005. "Measuring Total Factor Productivity: Growth Accounting for Bulgaria," GE, Growth, Math methods 0504004, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 21 Apr 2005.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2015. "Welfare gains from the adoption of proportional taxation in a general-equilibrium model with a grey economy: the case of Bulgaria’s 2008 flat tax reform," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 169-185, May.
    2. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2020. "A business-cycle model with a modified cash-in-advance feature, government sector and one-period nominal wage contracts: the case of Bulgaria," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 6(1(10)), pages 19-38.
    3. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2020. "Indeterminacy and Multiplicity of Equilibria in a Two-sector Economy with a Public-sector Production," Journal of Economics and Econometrics, Economics and Econometrics Society, vol. 63(1), pages 18-43.
    4. Fage, Bradley & Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2021. "Understanding the effect of a Soft Drinks Industry Levy on Consumer Well-Being in the UK: First Estimates," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue forthcomi.
    5. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2017. "VAT Evasion in Bulgaria: A General-Equilibrium Approach," Review of Economics and Institutions, Università di Perugia, vol. 8(2).
    6. Vasilev Aleksandar, 2018. "Optimal Fiscal Policy with Utility-Enhancing Government Spending, Consumption Taxation and a Common Income Tax Rate: The Case of Bulgaria," Review of Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 69(1), pages 1-16, April.
    7. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2021. "Progressive taxation and (in)stability in an exogenous growth model with non-market ("home") production," Journal of Economics and Econometrics, Economics and Econometrics Society, vol. 64(1), pages 23-37.
    8. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2021. "Progressive taxation and (in)stability in an exogenous growth model with Epstein-Zin recursive preferences," Journal of Economics and Econometrics, Economics and Econometrics Society, vol. 64(1), pages 51-68.
    9. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2017. "Business Cycle Accounting: Bulgaria after the introduction of the currency board arrangement (1999-2014)," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 14(2), pages 197-219.
    10. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2016. "Progressive taxation and (in)stability in an endogenous growth model with human capital accumulation," Journal of Economics and Econometrics, Economics and Econometrics Society, vol. 59(2), pages 1-15.
    11. Andrew V. Stephenson, 2018. "The Impact of Personal Income Tax Structure on Income Inequality for Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Lithuania, and Poland: A Comparison of Flat and Graduated Income Tax Structures," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 46(4), pages 405-417, December.
    12. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2022. "Optimal fiscal policy in a model with reciprocity in labor relations: the case of Bulgaria," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue EarlyCite, pages 1-24.
    13. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2016. "Progressive taxation and (in)stability in an endogenous growth model with human capital accumulation: the case of Bulgaria," EconStor Preprints 144212, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    14. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2017. "Progressive taxation and (in)stability in an exogenous growth model with an informal sector," Journal of Economics and Econometrics, Economics and Econometrics Society, vol. 60(2), pages 1-13.
    15. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2020. "Indeterminacy with preferences featuring multiplicative habits in consumption: lessons from Bulgaria (1999-2016)," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, issue forthcomi.
    16. Aleksandar VASILEV, 2020. "The Armey Curve In Bulgaria (2000-18) – Theoretical Considerations And Empirical Results," Theoretical and Practical Research in the Economic Fields, ASERS Publishing, vol. 11(1), pages 21-26.
    17. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2020. "Are labor unions important for business cycle fluctuations? Lessons from Bulgaria," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 10(1), pages 143-161, March.
    18. Vasilev Aleksandar, 2022. "A Business-Cycle Model with Cash and Credit Goods and a Modified Cash-in-Advance Feature: Lessons for Bulgaria (1999-2020)," Econometrics. Advances in Applied Data Analysis, Sciendo, vol. 26(1), pages 1-13, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Vasilev, Aleksandar, 2016. "Progressive taxation and (in)stability in an endogenous growth model with human capital accumulation: the case of Bulgaria," EconStor Preprints 144212, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    2. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2016. "Progressive taxation and (in)stability in an endogenous growth model with human capital accumulation," Journal of Economics and Econometrics, Economics and Econometrics Society, vol. 59(2), pages 1-15.
    3. Aleksandar Vasilev, 2015. "Welfare gains from the adoption of proportional taxation in a general-equilibrium model with a grey economy: the case of Bulgaria’s 2008 flat tax reform," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 169-185, May.
    4. Michael Funke & Holger Strulik, 2006. "Taxation, Growth and Welfare: Dynamic Effects of Estonia's 2000 Income Tax Act," Finnish Economic Papers, Finnish Economic Association, vol. 19(1), pages 25-38, Spring.
    5. YAN Chengliang & GONG Liutang, 2009. "Government expenditure, taxation and long-run growth," Frontiers of Economics in China-Selected Publications from Chinese Universities, Higher Education Press, vol. 4(4), pages 505-525, December.
    6. Xiangcai Meng & Azhong Ye, 2009. "Human Capital Externality, Knowledge Spillover, and Sustainable Economic Growth," Annals of Economics and Finance, Society for AEF, vol. 10(1), pages 155-198, May.
    7. Alonso-Carrera, Jaime, 2000. "The Subsidy to Human Capital Accumulation in an Endogenous Growth Model: A Comparative Dynamics Analysis," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 409-431, July.
    8. Michael Funke & Holger Strulik, 2005. "BOFIT Discussion Papers - Taxation, growth and welfare: Dynamic effects of Estonia’s income tax act," Money Macro and Finance (MMF) Research Group Conference 2005 55, Money Macro and Finance Research Group.
    9. Steven P. Cassou & Kevin J. Lansing, 2006. "Tax Reform with Useful Public Expenditures," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 8(4), pages 631-676, October.
    10. Erosa, Andres & Koreshkova, Tatyana, 2007. "Progressive taxation in a dynastic model of human capital," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(3), pages 667-685, April.
    11. Iamsiraroj, Sasi, 2016. "The foreign direct investment–economic growth nexus," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 116-133.
    12. van de Klundert, T.C.M.J. & Smulders, J.A., 1991. "Reconstructing growth theory : A survey," Other publications TiSEM 19355c51-17eb-4d5d-aa66-b, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    13. Zeng, Jinli & Zhang, Jie, 2022. "Education policies and development with threshold human capital externalities," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    14. Philip Trostel & Ian Walker, 2006. "Education and Work," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(4), pages 377-399.
    15. van Groezen, B.J.A.M. & Meijdam, A.C. & Verbon, H.A.A., 2002. "Social Security Reform and Population Ageing in a Two-Sector Growth Model," Other publications TiSEM 5109f2fc-ba3b-421c-89ab-9, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    16. Michal Horvath & Matus Senaj & Zuzana Siebertova & Norbert Svarda, 2015. "The End of the Flat Tax Experiment in Slovakia," Discussion Papers 15/12, Department of Economics, University of York.
    17. Turnovsky, S., 2000. "Growth in an Open Economy: some Recent Developments," Papers 5, Warwick - Development Economics Research Centre.
    18. Sefa Awaworyi Churchill & Mehmet Ugur & Siew Ling Yew, 2017. "Does Government Size Affect Per-Capita Income Growth? A Hierarchical Meta-Regression Analysis," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 93(300), pages 142-171, March.
    19. Jonathan Temple, 1995. "Testing the augmented Solow Model," Economics Papers 18 & 106., Economics Group, Nuffield College, University of Oxford.
    20. Jones, Larry E. & Manuelli, Rodolfo E., 1995. "Growth and the effects of inflation," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 19(8), pages 1405-1428, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    taxation; endogenous growth; human capital; welfare gains;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:zbw:esprep:144527. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/zbwkide.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.