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Optimal Wage Taxation When Human Capital and Employment Are Endogenous

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  • Kreider, Brent

Abstract

This paper studies how optimal wage tax conclusions from the classic two-period life-cycle model of human capital accumulation are affected by endogenizing the number of taxpaying workers. In the absence of a corrective policy, young individuals underinvest in human capital from a social perspective because tax premiums for transfers to nonworkers are not actuarially adjusted downward for human capital attainment. Compensated wage taxes and subsidies can restore proper price signals. Numerical simulations suggest that even modest extensive margin employment elasticities can be sufficient to substantially impact the magnitudes and even the signs of optimal wage tax rates.

Suggested Citation

  • Kreider, Brent, 2008. "Optimal Wage Taxation When Human Capital and Employment Are Endogenous," Staff General Research Papers Archive 12358, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:isu:genres:12358
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    1. Syed M. Ahsan & Panagiotis Tsigaris, 2011. "The Utility Compensated Effects of a Wage Tax on Human Capital and Consumption Decisions," Public Finance Review, , vol. 39(4), pages 571-593, July.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H3 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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