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A VAT used solely to pay for UBI is actually progressive, as the UBI can be considered for the purposes of this calculation as a refundable tax credit. Low inc
by wan23 7y ago
A VAT used solely to pay for UBI is actually progressive, as the UBI can be considered for the purposes of this calculation as a refundable tax credit.
Low income household:
Income: $30K
Spending on taxable goods: $10K
VAT Paid: $1K
UBI Received: $12K
Total Paid: $ -11K (-37% of income)
Higher Income Household:
Income: $120K
Spending on taxable goods: $70K
VAT Paid: $7K
UBI Received: $12K
Total Paid: $ -3K (-2.5% of income)
Very high income household:
Income: $300K
Spending on taxable goods: $150K
VAT Paid: $15K
UBI Received: $12K
Total Paid: $3K (1% of income)
Lower income people (who spend less by necessity) end up profiting very nicely relative to their income. The rich, i.e. anyone who spends more than $120K on taxable goods, however, would end up spending more than they receive, and are actually the only people funding the UBI.
- 542458 7y agoThe flaw with this analysis is that since the UBI is only claimable if you don’t claim any other welfare, and 1000 a month is significantly less than the average payout from programs like disability, many poor families will be unable to claim the UBI but will still pay the tax this making the whole system regressive at low incomes. EDIT: looks like Yang's position on the stuff below changed. His website used to say it wouldn't stack with anything, now it says it stacks with some things, which makes more sense. I'm till not completely convinced though, since the combination of programs that it doesn't stack with can easily exceed the $1000/mo limit that make it regressive again. But there's a complicated analysis there that I'm not qualified to make.
- Heybud 7y agoIt stacks with SSDI, OASDI, UI, Housing Assistance , VA Disability and Medicaid actually
- chillacy 7y ago> many poor families will be unable to claim the UBI but will still pay the tax this making the whole system regressive at low incomes Disability is one thing (I think that it should stack with disability), but let's not look at the existing welfare system with overly-rosy lenses: * TANF has been repeatedly cut back and now only 23% of households in poverty are receiving benefits. (universal programs like UBI are more resistant to cuts like this) * Depending on your state, SNAP and TANF together still don't even get your family to the poverty line * There are reporting requirements and other administrative hoops to jump through, aid is meant to be "temporary" https://www.cbpp.org/research/family-income-support/more-states-raising-tanf-benefits-to-boost-families-economic-security https://www.cbpp.org/research/family-income-support/more-sta... A UBI benefits way more people, and a VAT would end up falling more on the rich (even assuming 100% passthrough (in Europe it's ~50%) you'd have to spend more than $12k a month to offset the UBI).