In: Economics
Suppose a consumer has y = 100 and y0 = 150. She pays t = 20 and
t0 = 30
in taxes. She faces an interest rate of 5% i.e. r = 0:05. Her
utility function is
given by: U = ac + c0, where a > (1 + r).
(a) Assume that she cannot borrow. Determine her optimal choice of
c and c0.
Show it in a diagram.
(b) Continue to assume that she cannot borrow. Now her
current-period tax
is reduced to zero and future-period tax is increased such that the
present
value of lifetime taxes does not change. Find her new optimal
choice of c
and c0. Does Recardian Equivalence hold in this case? Why or why
not?
(c) Finally assume that she does not face any borrowing constraint.
Find her
optimal consumption bundle.