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This note describes how most features of an income tax system (and to some extent social security and welfare) can be described as a combination of lumpsums and marginal tax rates and plotted in a summary chart. While this is by no means a new method, applying it consistently can help tremendously in understanding the impact of tax reforms on tax systems, including by identifying any unintentional humps or notches in tax schedules. This note uses this approach to discuss, for example, universal basic incomes, the issue of whether tax allowances should be phased out, and the difference between tax credits and allowances. It also points to the limitations of the approach, such as conditions that cannot be summarized in such tax schedules.
Expected inflation has few real effects in purely private economies, but this is not the case when the tax system is not neutral with respect to inflation. In practice, tax systems are not neutral—though some have attempted to be so in the past—and this paper provides a comprehensive overview of the most relevant non-neutralities drawing both on existing literature and showing new illustrations and evidence of the effects. The paper shows, for example, how taxing inflationary gains can have tremendous impact on effective tax rates—even at relatively low rates of inflation. It also shows how partial adjustment—for only some types of incomes—can create additional distortions. A new empirical analysis reveals how the erosion of the value of depreciation allowances through inflation affects investment. Finally the paper discusses policy options to address such non-neutralities.
Women, Business and the Law 2023 is the ninth in a series of annual studies measuring the laws and regulations that affect women’s economic opportunity in 190 economies.The project presents eight indicators structured around women’s interactions with the law as they move through their lives and careers: Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension. The 2023 edition identifies barriers to women’s economic participation and encourages reform of discriminatory laws. This year, the study also includes research, a literature review, and analysis of 53 years of reforms for women’s rights.Examining the economic decisions that women make throughout their working lives as well as tracking regulatory changes from 1970 to today, the study makes an important contribution to research and policy discussions about the state of women’s economic opportunities. By presenting powerful examples of change and highlighting the gaps still remaining, Women, Business and the Law 2023 is a vital tool in ensuring economic empowerment for all. Data in Women, Business and the Law 2023 are current as of October 1, 2022.
By assessing discrimination in laws, regulations, and policies, the Equality of Opportunity for Sexual and Gender Minorities (EQOSOGI) initiative examines institutionalized challenges encountered by sexual and gender minorities. This second edition of the EQOSOGI report expands its coverage from 16 to 64 countries representing different geographic areas, income levels, legal traditions, and inclusiveness of sexual and gender minorities, ensuring a diverse and holistic representation of the issues.EQOSOGI presents indicators to identify differences in the legal and policy environment for sexual and gender minorities in six areas: Decriminalization, Access to Education, Access to Labor Markets...
Efforts to achieve gender equality will not only help sub-Saharan Africa revive its inclusive growth engine but also will ensure progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals and help address the main disruptive challenges of this century. This book explores the progress made in gender equality in the region, highlighting both the challenges and successes in areas such as legal reforms; education; health; gender-based violence; harmful practices, such as child marriage; and financial inclusion. It takes stock of initiatives towards integrating gender into core macroeconomic and structural reforms, such as through implementing gender budgeting and examines the role that fiscal and other ...
This technical note provides an overview of current issues and ideas that revenue administrations can consider regarding gender equality. It discusses the interactions between revenue administrations and gender equality and explores how revenue administrations can administer gender-sensitive tax laws effectively and apply a gender lens when administering tax or trade laws with a view to reducing barriers for women’s employment, entrepreneurship, and trade. It also provides practical considerations for a revenue administration in building gender perspectives in reform plans and shares several examples that highlight targeted measures that have led to positive outcomes in several countries.
Tackling income and wealth inequality is at the top of the policy agenda in many countries. This note discusses three approaches of wealth taxation, based on (1) returns with a capital income tax, (2) stocks with a wealth tax, and (3) transfers of wealth through an inheritance (or estate) tax. Taxing actual returns is generally less distortive and more equitable than a wealth tax. Hence, rather than introducing wealth taxes, reform priorities should focus on strengthening the design of capital income taxes (notably capital gains) and closing existing loopholes, while harnessing technological advances in tax administration—including cross-border information sharing—to foster tax compliance. The inheritance tax is important to address the buildup of dynastic wealth.
The strong recent economic recovery has improved Greece’s near-term outlook. However, unfavorable demographics require raising the labor force participation, particularly for women, to boost medium-term growth. Using household survey, cross-country comparison, and model simulations, we identify three main constraints: (i) care responsibilities; (ii) skill mismatches; and (iii) tax-benefit work incentives. Estimates suggest that addressing care responsibilities alone could boost employment by 3 percent. Policy recommendations include expanding access to childcare facilities, improving parental leave policies, strengthening tax-benefit incentives, and addressing skill mismatches. These measures, combined with complementary reforms could significantly empower women to boost economic growth and prosperity in Greece.
GDP growth in Brazil has been remarkably resilient over the past three years and, as expected, is showing signs of moderation. The expansion has reflected strong consumption supported by fiscal stimulus on the demand side, and supply-side factors. Inflation rebounded in 2024 amid strong demand, a rise in food prices, and currency depreciation. As inflation expectations rose above the target tolerance interval, monetary policy entered a new policy tightening cycle in September. Long-standing challenges remain, including elevated public debt and spending rigidities that crowd out priority investments. The authorities have made progress on reforms to foster sustainable and inclusive growth, including implementation of VAT reform.
This paper provides an overview of the relation between tax policy and gender equality, covering labor, capital and wealth, as well as consumption taxes. It considers implicit and explicit gender biases and corrective taxation. On labor taxes, we discuss the well-established findings on female labor supply and present new empirical work on the impact of household taxation. We also analyze the impact of progressivity on pay gaps and labor supply. On capital and wealth taxation, we discuss the implications of lower effective capital income taxation on the personal income tax burden gap across genders. We show that countries with relatively low female shares of capital income and wealth also tend to tax property and inheritances particularly lightly. On consumption taxes, we cover taxes on female hygiene products and excise taxes, which we assess in relation to externalities and differences in consumption patterns across genders.