Antoine Ferey

General seminars
amse seminar

Antoine Ferey

Sciences Po
Sufficient Statistics for Nonlinear Tax Systems with General Across-Income Heterogeneity
Joint with
Benjamin B. Lockwood and Dmitry Taubinsky
Venue

IBD Amphi

Îlot Bernard du Bois - Amphithéâtre

AMU - AMSE
5-9 boulevard Maurice Bourdet
13001 Marseille

Date(s)
Monday, May 26 2025| 11:30am to 12:45pm
Contact(s)

Thomas Seegmuller: thomas.seegmuller[at]univ-amu.fr

Abstract

This paper provides empirically implementable sufficient statistics formulas for optimal nonlinear tax systems in the presence of  across-income heterogeneity in preferences, inheritances, income-shifting capabilities, and other sources. We characterize optimal smooth tax systems on income and savings (or other commodities), as well as simpler tax systems. We use familiar elasticity concepts and a novel sufficient statistic for heterogeneity correlated with earnings ability: the difference between  across-income variation in savings and the causal effect of income on savings. We apply these formulas to the United States and find that the optimal savings tax is mostly positive and progressive.

More information

This AMSE seminar will be given by the laureate of the Carine Nourry thesis prize.