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Taxation and Redistribution of Residual Income Inequality

Author

Listed:
  • Mikhail Golosov

    (Department of Economics, Princeton University and NBER)

  • Pricila Maziero

    (Department of Finance, Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania)

  • Guido Menzio

    (Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania)

Abstract

This paper studies the optimal redistribution of income inequality caused by the presence of search and matching frictions in the labor market. We study this problem in the context of a directed search model of the labor market populated by homogenous workers and heterogeneous firms. The optimal redistribution can be attained using a positive unemployment benefit and an increasing and regressive labor income tax. The positive unemployment benefit serves the purpose of lowering the search risk faced by workers. The increasing and regressive labor tax serves the purpose of aligning the cost to the firm of attracting an additional applicant with the value of an application to society.

Suggested Citation

  • Mikhail Golosov & Pricila Maziero & Guido Menzio, 2012. "Taxation and Redistribution of Residual Income Inequality," PIER Working Paper Archive 12-022, Penn Institute for Economic Research, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania.
    • Handle: RePEc:pen:papers:12-022
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Unemployment benefit; Income tax; Search frictions; Mechanism design;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J65 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment Insurance; Severance Pay; Plant Closings

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