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Tax Smoothing in a Business Cycle Model with Capital-Skill Complementarity

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  • Konstantinos Angelopoulos
  • Stylianos Asimakopoulos
  • Jim Malley

Abstract

This paper undertakes a normative investigation of the quantitative properties of optimal tax smoothing in a business cycle model with state contingent debt, capital-skill complementarity, endogenous skill formation and stochastic shocks to public consumption as well as total factor and capital equipment productivity. Our main finding is that an empirically relevant restriction which does not allow the relative supply of skilled labour to adjust in response to aggregate shocks, significantly changes the cyclical properties of optimal labour taxes. Under a restricted relative skill supply, the government finds it optimal to adjust labour income tax rates so that the average net returns to skilled and unskilled labour hours exhibit the same dynamic behaviour as under flexible skill supply.

Suggested Citation

  • Konstantinos Angelopoulos & Stylianos Asimakopoulos & Jim Malley, 2014. "Tax Smoothing in a Business Cycle Model with Capital-Skill Complementarity," CESifo Working Paper Series 4744, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_4744
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Angelopoulos, Konstantinos & Asimakopoulos, Stylianos & Malley, James, 2019. "The Optimal Distribution Of The Tax Burden Over The Business Cycle," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(6), pages 2298-2337, September.
    2. Stylianos Asimakopoulos & James Malley & Konstantinos Angelopoulos, 2014. "Optimal progressive taxation in a model with endogenous skill supply," Discussion Papers 2014/12, University of Nottingham, Centre for Finance, Credit and Macroeconomics (CFCM).
    3. Chen, Ping-ho & Chu, Angus C. & Chu, Hsun & Lai, Ching-chong, 2017. "Short-run and long-run effects of capital taxation on innovation and economic growth," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 207-221.
    4. Asimakopoulos, Panagiotis & Asimakopoulos, Stylianos, 2019. "Fiscal policy with banks and financial frictions," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 94-109.
    5. Yi‐Chan Tsai & C. C. Yang & Hsin‐Jung Yu, 2022. "Rising skill premium and the dynamics of optimal capital and labor taxation," Quantitative Economics, Econometric Society, vol. 13(3), pages 1061-1099, July.
    6. Ctirad Slavík & Hakki Yazici, 2019. "On the consequences of eliminating capital tax differentials," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 52(1), pages 225-252, February.
    7. Konstantinos Angelopoulos & James Malley & Apostolis Philippopoulos, 2017. "Human Capital Accumulation and Transition to Skilled Employment," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 11(1), pages 72-105.
    8. Stylianos Asimakopoulos & Marco Lorusso & Luca Pieroni, 2021. "Can public spending boost private consumption?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 54(3), pages 1275-1313, November.
    9. Ozlem Kina & Ctirad Slavik & Hakki Yazici, 2020. "Redistributive Capital Taxation Revisited," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp674, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    10. Stefano Grassi & Marco Lorusso & Francesco Ravazzolo, 2021. "Adaptive Importance Sampling for DSGE Models," BEMPS - Bozen Economics & Management Paper Series BEMPS84, Faculty of Economics and Management at the Free University of Bozen.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    skill premium; tax smoothing; optimal fiscal policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E13 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models - - - Neoclassical
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • E62 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Fiscal Policy; Modern Monetary Theory

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