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The End of the Flat Tax Experiment in Slovakia

Author

Listed:
  • Michal Horvath
  • Matus Senaj
  • Zuzana Siebertova
  • Norbert Svarda

Abstract

The paper provides a quantitative assessment of the consequences of departing from a flat-tax system in the context of Slovakia. A behavioural microsimulation model of the labour supply is embedded into ageneral equilibrium framework with search and matching frictions. Some recently implemented marginal changes in the tax system leave aggregate labour market indicators as well as inequality measures virtually unaffected. We also examine hypothetical revenue-neutral reforms that would significantly increase the progressivity of the system through graduated marginal tax rates. We find that there are narrow limits to what policy makers could accomplish through such reforms in terms of employment and equality of income. Hence, an income tax reform should at best be seen as a complementary tool to other initiatives promoting such objectives. Moreover, we highlight an important trade-off: income tax reforms that promote employment may harm growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Michal Horvath & Matus Senaj & Zuzana Siebertova & Norbert Svarda, 2015. "The End of the Flat Tax Experiment in Slovakia," Discussion Papers 15/12, Department of Economics, University of York.
    • Handle: RePEc:yor:yorken:15/12
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    Cited by:

    1. Matus Senaj & Zuzana Siebertova & Norbert Svarda & Jana Valachyova, 2018. "The Evaluation of Fiscal Consolidation Strategies," International Journal of Microsimulation, International Microsimulation Association, vol. 11(3), pages 39-58.
    2. Salvador Barrios & Viginta Ivaškaitė-Tamošiūnė & Anamaria Maftei & Edlira Narazani & Janos Varga, 2020. "Progressive Tax Reforms in Flat Tax Countries," Eastern European Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(2), pages 83-107, March.
    3. Michal Horvath & Zuzana Siebertova, 2019. "Employment Effects of Income Tax Reforms: Lessons from Slovakia," Working Papers Working Paper No. 3/2019, Council for Budget Responsibility.
    4. Mitkova Veronika & Jánošová Miroslava, 2019. "The Tax Burden CGE Analysis for Slovakia and Slovenia," Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy, Sciendo, vol. 65(4), pages 35-46, December.
    5. Zuzana Siebertova & Norbert Svarda & Jana Valachyova, 2015. "SIMTASK: A Microsimulation model of the Slovak Tax-Benefit System," Discussion Papers Discussion Paper No. 3/20, Council for Budget Responsibility.
    6. Norbert Švarda & Jana Valachyová & Zuzana Siebertová, 2015. "SIMTASK: A Microsimulation of the Slovak Tax-Benefit System," Discussion Papers 31, Central European Labour Studies Institute (CELSI).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    flat tax; microsimulation; general equilibrium; search and matching; labour supply elasticity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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