Reducing the income tax burden for households with children: An assessment of the child tax credit reform in Austria

Publication type

EUROMOD Working Paper Series

Series Number

EM1/20

Series

EUROMOD Working Paper Series

Authors

Publication date

February 27, 2020

Abstract:

This paper analyses the impact of the implementation of a child tax credit in Austria in 2019, both on micro and macro level. First, we assess the fiscal and distributional impact of this reform using EUROMOD. Second, we estimate labour supply impacts of the reform based on a structural discrete choice framework. Third, we evaluate the macroeconomic impacts, by calibrating and shocking the DSGE model QUEST, with the micro-based results. We show that the reform reduces inequality, lowers the poverty rate for households with children. Overall the reform has a positive impact on labour supply, especially for women. On the macro-level (and in the long-run), our model suggests a small but positive impact on employment, investment, consumption and GDP. Additionally, using the macro impact of the reform, we show that accounting for those behavioural responses at the micro level is important to asses the long-run impact of tax reforms, especially on the income distribution.

Paper download  

#526020

News

Latest findings, new research

Publications search

Search all research by subject and author

Podcasts

Researchers discuss their findings and what they mean for society

Projects

Background and context, methods and data, aims and outputs

Events

Conferences, seminars and workshops

Survey methodology

Specialist research, practice and study

Taking the long view

ISER's annual report

Themes

Key research themes and areas of interest