Coase-Sandor Working Paper Series in Law and Economics

Publication Date

2006

Publication Title

Law & Economics Working Papers

Abstract

This essay explores the extent to which income and consumption taxes can be implemented using parallel designs. The economic differences in the two taxes is thought to be the taxation of pure time value returns under an income tax but not under a consumption tax. In theory, therefore, all differences in implementation methods should be traceable to the measurement of time value returns. To explore the extent to which this is true, the essay examines four major design elements of any tax system: (i) the use of cash flows or basis accounts to measure the base; (ii) remittance of the tax by firms or individuals; (iii) whether the system is open or closed; and (iv) how the system operates across borders.

Number

297

Additional Information

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