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Dynamic nonlinear income taxation with quasi-hyperbolic discounting and no commitment

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  • Guo, Jang-Ting
  • Krause, Alan

Abstract

This paper examines a dynamic model of nonlinear income taxation in which the government cannot commit to its future tax policy, and individuals are quasi-hyperbolic discounters who cannot commit to future consumption plans. The government has both paternalistic and redistributive objectives, and therefore uses its taxation powers to maximize a utilitarian social welfare function that reflects individuals’ true (long-run) preferences. Under first-best taxation, quasi-hyperbolic discounting exerts no effect on the level of social welfare attainable. Under second-best taxation, quasi-hyperbolic discounting increases (resp. decreases) the level of social welfare attainable when separating (resp. pooling) taxation is optimal. In stark contrast to previous studies, this result implies that some individuals can actually be better-off in the long run as a result of their short-run impatience.

Suggested Citation

  • Guo, Jang-Ting & Krause, Alan, 2015. "Dynamic nonlinear income taxation with quasi-hyperbolic discounting and no commitment," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 101-119.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jeborg:v:109:y:2015:i:c:p:101-119
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jebo.2014.11.002
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    Cited by:

    1. Jang-Ting Guo & Alan Krause, 2018. "Changing social preferences and optimal redistributive taxation," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 70(1), pages 73-92.
    2. Barnett, Richard C. & Bhattacharya, Joydeep & Bunzel, Helle, 2019. "The fight-or-flight response to the Joneses and inequality," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 101(C), pages 187-210.
    3. Guo, Jang-Ting & Krause, Alan, 2015. "Dynamic income taxation without commitment: Comparing alternative tax systems," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 319-326.
    4. Alan Krause, 2017. "On redistributive taxation under the threat of high-skill emigration," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 48(4), pages 845-856, April.
    5. Aronsson, Thomas & Sjögren, Tomas, 2018. "Optimal Taxation, Redistribution, and Environmental Externalities," International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, now publishers, vol. 11(3), pages 233-308, August.
    6. Barnett, Richard C. & Bhattacharya, Joydeep & Bunzel, Helle, 2018. "The Fight-or-Flight Response to the Joneses and Income Inequality," ISU General Staff Papers 201812120800001060, Iowa State University, Department of Economics.
    7. Kang, Minwook, 2020. "Demand deposit contracts and bank runs with present biased preferences," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    8. Chen, Yunmin & Guo, Jang-Ting & Krause, Alan, 2020. "The credibility of commitment and optimal nonlinear savings taxation," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    9. Aronsson, Thomas & Sjögren, Tomas, 2016. "Quasi-hyperbolic discounting, paternalism and optimal mixed taxation," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 24-36.
    10. Shigeta, Yuki, 2022. "Quasi-hyperbolic discounting under recursive utility and consumption–investment decisions," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    11. Kang, Minwook & Kim, Eungsik, 2023. "A government policy with time-inconsistent consumers," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 214(C), pages 44-67.
    12. Minwook Kang & Lei Sandy Ye, 2021. "Can Optimism be a Remedy for Present Bias?," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 53(1), pages 201-231, February.
    13. Minwook Kang, 2015. "Welfare criteria for quasi-hyperbolic time preferences," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 35(4), pages 2506-2511.
    14. Choi, Yoonseok, 2020. "Macroeconomic implications of dynamically inconsistent preferences," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 267-279.
    15. Minwook Kang, 2019. "Pareto-improving tax policies under hyperbolic discounting," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 26(3), pages 618-660, June.
    16. Carlos Bethencourt & Lars Kunze, 2017. "Temptation and the efficient taxation of education and labor," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 68(4), pages 986-1000, November.
    17. Arvaniti, Maria & Sjögren, Tomas, 2023. "Temptation in consumption and optimal taxation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 205(C), pages 687-707.
    18. Kim, Eungsik & Lee, Donghyun, 2023. "The macroeconomic implications of deficit financing under present bias," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    19. Shigeo Morita & Takuya Obara, 2021. "Public investment criteria under optimal nonlinear income taxation without commitment," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 23(4), pages 732-745, August.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Dynamic taxation; Quasi-hyperbolic discounting; Commitment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies

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