The Impact of Tax Policy on the Underground Economy: DSGE Model

Abstract

The aim of this study is to estimate the amount of underground economy as well as to determine the effect of tax policy on it in Iran. For this purpose, a Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) model is developed incorporating the underground economy. Quarterly data for 1360-1393 in Iran are used for estimation. The results show that on the average 23 percent of household consumption during the examined period is from underground goods, and about 17 percent of these goods are imported into the country through underground import or smuggling. Real average amount of smuggling and underground production in Iran during the considered period is estimated as 29023 and 141702.5 billion Rials, respectively. In addition, the results show that the average share of underground employment in total employment over the period is about 18 percent. The average tax evasion of consumption tax, import tax and wage tax is estimated about 17.8 percent of average government tax revenue during this period. Comparing the effects of four different tax shocks on underground economy also shows that the profit tax shock has the largest effect on underground economy, and after that is import tax shock. The effects of tax shocks show that the severity and duration of the impact of tax shocks on underground production is more than that of the formal economy.

Keywords

• underground economy
• tax evasion
• smuggling
• tax policy
• dsge model (dynamic stochastic general equilibrium)