2014RePEc: Research Papers in EconomicsRequires access

Pareto-improving Consumption Tax When the Return from Capital is idyosyncratic and (Optimal or non-Optimal) Capital Income Tax is available

Hisahiro Naito

Open publisher page 0 citations

Abstract

In the standard multi-period model, the consumption tax and the wage tax are equivalent. When a capital market is incomplete, such that the rate of return from capital is idiosyncratic, the consumption tax, in contrast to the wage tax, can play a role in risk-sharing. However, risk-sharing may disappear if the government applies a linear or non-linear capital income tax, because the source of risk is the return from capital. The present study shows that a consumption tax, when instituted in the presence of a wage tax, increases welfare when the capital market is incomplete, even if the government applies a non-linear capital income tax for risk-sharing and subsidizes investments.

Open-access reader

About this research paper

What this paper is about

In the standard multi-period model, the consumption tax and the wage tax are equivalent. When a capital market is incomplete, such that the rate of return from capital is idiosyncratic, the consumption tax, in contrast to the wage tax, can play a role in risk-sharing. However, risk-sharing may disappear if the government applies a linear or non-linear capital income tax, because the source of risk is the return from capital. The present study shows that a consumption tax, when instituted in the presence of a wage tax, increases welfare when the capital market is incomplete, even if the government applies a non-linear capital income tax for risk-sharing and subsidizes investments.

Why it matters

A significance statement is not available in the OpenAlex record.

Key contribution

A contribution statement is not available in the OpenAlex record.

Method / approach

Method details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Main findings

Findings are not separately available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Limitations

Limitations are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Applications

Application details are not available in the OpenAlex metadata.

Available abstract

In the standard multi-period model, the consumption tax and the wage tax are equivalent. When a capital market is incomplete, such that the rate of return from capital is idiosyncratic, the consumption tax, in contrast to the wage tax, can play a role in risk-sharing. However, risk-sharing may disappear if the government applies a linear or non-linear capital income tax, because the source of risk is the return from capital. The present study shows that a consumption tax, when instituted in the presence of a wage tax, increases welfare when the capital market is incomplete, even if the government applies a non-linear capital income tax for risk-sharing and subsidizes investments.

Key concepts: Economics, Consumption tax, Indirect tax, State income tax, Value-added tax, Tax reform, Tax credit, Ad valorem tax

Related papers

Back to paper searchBrowse research topicsOriginal source
Pareto-improving Consumption Tax When the Return from Capital is idyosyncratic and (Optimal or non-Optimal) Capital Income Tax is available — Research Paper | ScholarLens