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On the Optimal Timing of Capital Taxes

Author

Listed:
  • John Hassler
  • Per Krusell
  • Kjetil Storesletten
  • Fabrizio Zilibotti

Abstract

For many kinds of capital, depreciation rates change systematically with the age of the capital. Consider an example that captures essential aspects of human capital, both regarding its accumulation and its depreciation: a worker obtains knowledge in period 0, then uses this knowledge in production in periods 1 and 2, and thereafter retires. Here, depreciation accelerates: it occurs at a 100% rate after period 2, and at a lower (perhaps zero) rate before that. The present paper analyzes the implications of non-constant depreciation rates for the optimal timing of taxes on capital income. The main finding is that under natural assumptions, the path of tax rates over time must be oscillatory. Oscillatory tax rates are optimal when depreciation rates accelerate with the age of the capital (as in the above example), and provided that the government can commit to the path of future tax rates but cannot apply different tax rates in a given year to different vintages of capital.

Suggested Citation

  • John Hassler & Per Krusell & Kjetil Storesletten & Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2007. "On the Optimal Timing of Capital Taxes," IEW - Working Papers 343, Institute for Empirical Research in Economics - University of Zurich.
    • Handle: RePEc:zur:iewwpx:343
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Paul Klein & Per Krusell & José-Víctor Ríos-Rull, 2004. "Time-Consistent Public Expenditures," Levine's Bibliography 122247000000000652, UCLA Department of Economics.
    2. Mathias Trabandt, 2006. "Optimal Pre-Announced Tax Reforms Under Valuable And Productive Government Spending," 2006 Meeting Papers 668, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    3. Jaakkola, Niko & Spiro, Daniel & van Benthem, Arthur A., 2019. "Finders, keepers?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C), pages 17-33.
    4. Heathcote, Jonathan & Storesletten, Kjetil & Violante, Giovanni L., 2020. "Optimal progressivity with age-dependent taxation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    5. Moser, Christian & Olea de Souza e Silva, Pedro, 2019. "Optimal Paternalistic Savings Policies," MPRA Paper 95383, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Kulp, Alison & Hartman, Joseph C., 2011. "Optimal tax depreciation with loss carry-forward and backward options," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 208(2), pages 161-169, January.
    7. Fabrizio Zilibotti, 2005. "The Research Agenda: Fabrizio Zilibotti on the Equilibrium Dynamics of Policies and Institutions," EconomicDynamics Newsletter, Review of Economic Dynamics, vol. 7(1), November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Asset depreciation; Human capital; Optimal taxation; Oscillations; State-contingent taxes; Tax dynamics.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D90 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - General
    • E61 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Policy Objectives; Policy Designs and Consistency; Policy Coordination
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H30 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - General

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