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Yet Another Reason to Tax Goods

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Abstract

In this article we write a two period taxation model where: \QTR{it}{i)} private information changes through time; \QTR{it}{ii)} savings choices by an agent that are not observed, \QTR{it}{iii)} affect preferences conditional on the realization of types. The simultaneous appearance of these three elements cause optimal commodity tax to depend on off-equilibrium levels of savings. As a consequence, separability no longer suffices for the uniform taxation prescription of Atkinson and Stiglitz to obtain. In what regards capital income taxation we show that, in the most 'natural' cases, return on capital ought to be taxed

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  • Carlos E da Costa, 2004. "Yet Another Reason to Tax Goods," Econometric Society 2004 Latin American Meetings 52, Econometric Society.
    • Handle: RePEc:ecm:latm04:52
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    Cited by:

    1. Stefanie Stantcheva, 2020. "Dynamic Taxation," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 12(1), pages 801-831, August.
    2. Mikhail Golosov & Aleh Tsyvinski, 2007. "Optimal Taxation with Endogenous Insurance Markets," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(2), pages 487-534.
    3. Carvajal, Andrés & Thereze, João, 2023. "Insurance contracts and financial markets," Mathematical Social Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 8-19.
    4. da Costa, Carlos E. & Maestri, Lucas J., 2007. "The risk properties of human capital and the design of government policies," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 695-713, April.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Optimal Taxation; Non-observable savings; Dynamic Agency.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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