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Can capital income tax improve welfare in an incomplete market economy with a labor-leisure decision?

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  • Danijela Medak Fell

    (Institute of Public Finance, Zagreb)

Abstract

This paper is a quantitative exercise in the economic analysis of optimal fiscal policy. We look at an incomplete market economy where agents face idiosyncratic labor productivity shocks and borrowing constraints. We find the steady state equilibrium of this economy and then analyze the effect of a government policy introducing a capital income tax and redistributing the proceeds of tax collection back to the agents in the form of a labor subsidy. We find that this type of policy can indeed improve the welfare of the economy, but its quantitative effect is small. We thus conclude that using capital income tax as fiscal policy instrument is not an effective way to cure the problem of market incompleteness.

Suggested Citation

  • Danijela Medak Fell, 2006. "Can capital income tax improve welfare in an incomplete market economy with a labor-leisure decision?," Financial Theory and Practice, Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(1), pages 67-76.
    • Handle: RePEc:ipf:finteo:v:30:y:2006:i:1:p:67-76
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    3. Fernando Alvarez & Urban J. Jermann, 2000. "Efficiency, Equilibrium, and Asset Pricing with Risk of Default," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 68(4), pages 775-798, July.
    4. Chamley, Christophe, 1986. "Optimal Taxation of Capital Income in General Equilibrium with Infinite Lives," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 54(3), pages 607-622, May.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    optimal fiscal policy; incomplete markets; precautionary saving;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory

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