A reform proposal of Family income tax deductions and of Family Benefits in Italy

In the Italian fiscal system the monetary transfers supporting families in their parental responsibilities are realized with two different tools: a tax expenditure (tax credits for dependent members of the family) and a family benefit delivered by INPS, the most important central public insurance institution. These instruments have been heavily criticized as for the weak target efficiency, distorted selectivity, lack of universality. This paper proposed a unification of these provisions on the expenditure side introducing a Child benefit which realizes selectivity using the recently reformed Indicator of the economic condition of household (Isee), flat till to 15 thousands Isee and then linearly declining till 25000 euro of Isee, of amount determined according an equivalence scale. The reform utilizes 14,3 billion of euro out of the 18,5 devoted to the present provisions. An accurate distributional analysis using the CAPP welfare microsimulation model shows many positive aspects of the proposal. The article concludes suggesting the opportunity of coordinate this reform with the introduction of a new provision against poverty.