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Inégalité de patrimoine et progressivité de l'impôt

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  • Audrey Desbonnet
  • Jean-Olivier Hairault

Abstract

This paper studies the impact of the progressivity of income and inheritance tax on wealth inequality in France. By switching to a proportional tax system for each type of tax, we find that income-tax progressivity is more effective than inheritance-tax progressivity in reducing wealth inequality. Income-tax progressivity reduces income risk. The precautionary saving of the wealthiest agents decreases and wealth inequality narrows. Inheritance-tax progressivity does not modify income risk significantly. We also show that inheritance-tax progressivity ? unlike income-tax progressivity ? is inefficient for reducing income inequality.

Suggested Citation

  • Audrey Desbonnet & Jean-Olivier Hairault, 2010. "Inégalité de patrimoine et progressivité de l'impôt," Economie & Prévision, La Documentation Française, vol. 0(2), pages 21-41.
    • Handle: RePEc:cai:ecoldc:ecop_193_0021
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    wealth inequality; tax progressivity; income; inheritance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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