Optimal policy with general signal extraction

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  • dc.contributor.author Hauk, Esther
  • dc.contributor.author Lanteri, Andrea
  • dc.contributor.author Marcet, Albert
  • dc.date.accessioned 2021-03-26T11:24:25Z
  • dc.date.available 2021-03-26T11:24:25Z
  • dc.date.issued 2019-11
  • dc.description.abstract We study optimal policy when the planner has partial information in a general setup where observed signals are endogenous to policy. In this context, signal extraction and policy have to be determined jointly. We derive a general non-standard first order condition of optimality from first principles and we use it to find numerical solutions. This first order condition allows us to identify widely-used special cases in the literature in which the signal extraction and the optimal decision problems can be solved separately, using the well-known separation principle. Our general setup, which does not feature any separation, is relevant for most available dynamic models in macro. We apply our results to a model of fiscal policy and show that optimal taxes are often a very non-linear function of observed hours, calling for tax smoothing in normal times, but for a strong fiscal reaction to output in a deeper recession. This non-linearity arises because signal extraction interacts differently with optimal policy depending on the range of observed signals. The non-linearity is stronger near the top of the Laffer curve or near a debt limit. In a fully dynamic model taxes react with a delay to adverse deficit shocks due to partial information, and this can lead to larger low frequency fluctuations.ca
  • dc.format.mimetype application/pdf*
  • dc.identifier.uri http://hdl.handle.net/10230/46964
  • dc.language eng
  • dc.language.iso engca
  • dc.relation.ispartofseries Working Papers CREI (Centre de Recerca en Economia Internacional);
  • dc.rights.accessRights info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessca
  • dc.subject.other Optimal policyca
  • dc.subject.other Partial informationca
  • dc.subject.other Separationca
  • dc.subject.other Calculus of variationsca
  • dc.subject.other Fiscal policyca
  • dc.title Optimal policy with general signal extractionca
  • dc.type info:eu-repo/semantics/workingPaperca