Tax Reform in Slovakia

The paper evaluates recent tax legislation in Slovakia, effected January 2004, according to principles of optimal taxation and optimal tax systems. The author evaluates Slovak tax reform with particular regard to personal income tax and commodity taxes. The adoption of a flat personal-income-tax rate and a uniform VAT rate is viewed as in line with the optimal taxation theory, and the projected lessening of administrative costs and degree of tax evasion is positively evaluated.tax reform; flat tax; Slovakia

Operational Risk Management and Implications for Bank’s Economic Capital – a Case Study

In this paper we review the actual operational data of an anonymous Central European Bank, using two approaches described in the literature: the loss distribution approach and the extreme value theory (“EVT”). Within the EVT analysis, two estimation methods were applied; the standard maximum likelihood estimation method and the probability weighted method (“PWM”). Our results proved a heavy-tailed pattern of operational risk data consistent with the results documented by other researchers in this field. Additionally, our research demonstrates that the PWM is quite consistent even when the data is limited since our results provide reasonable and consistent capital estimates. From a policy perspective, it should be noted that banks from emerging markets such as Central Europe are exposed to these operational risk events and that successful estimates of the likely distribution of these risk events can be derived from more mature markets.operational risk, economic capital, Basel II, extreme value theory, probability weighted method

Modeling Bank Loan LGD of Corporate and SME Segments: A Case Study

Loss given default (LGD) is one of key parameters to estimate credit risk in an internal rating based approach considered in The New Basel Capital Accord. The aim of this paper is to find determinants of LGD using a set of firm loan micro-data of an anonymous Czech commercial bank. The authors find that LGD is driven primarily by the period of loan origination, relative value of collateral, loan size and length of business relationship. Different models employed in their analysis provide similar results; in more complex models, log-log models appear to perform better, implying an asymmetric response of the dependent variable.credit risk, loss given default, fractional responses, ordinal regression, quasi-maximum likelihood estimator

Analysis of volatility of energy commodities

Táto práca analyzuje cenovú volatilitu ropy, zemného plynu a elektriny. Testuje hypotézu, či ARCH modely poskytujú dobré predpovede volatility týchto energetických komodít. Po analýze štatistických vlastností komodít niekoľko ARCH modelov je aplikovaných na celú vzorku údajov. Po vybraní najlepších modelov sú tieto analyzované mimo vzorky. Predpovede sa generujú pomocou pohyblivého okna a následne sú testované vzhľadom na realizovanú budúcu volatilitu. Na základe porovnania s historickou volatilitou sa dá urobiť záver, že GARCH(1,1) pre ropu a EGARCH(1,1) pre zemný plyn poskytujú dobré predpovede budúcej volatility. Pre elektrinu žiaden model nepriniesol.Institut ekonomických studiíFakulta sociálních vě

Tax and health care challenges in economic policy : three essays

The first paper evaluates tax legislation in Slovakia, effected January 2004 and major changes in the period 2005 - 2010, according to principles of optimal taxation and optimal tax systems. The author evaluates the Slovak system with particular regard to taxes on labour, taxes on capital and taxes on consumption. The adoption of a flat personal-income-tax rate and a uniform VAT rate is viewed as in line with the optimal taxation theory, and the projected lessening of administrative costs and degree of tax evasion is positively evaluated. However, it is concluded that there is still room for improving the system by further shifting the burden away from taxes on labour to higher taxation of consumption and capital. The second paper analyses possible options to improve the risk adjustment of the health insurance system in the Czech Republic. Out of possible options it argues for including Pharmaceutical Cost Groups (PCGs) as additional risk factors since it is an improvement that can be implemented almost instantaneously. On real data from an anonymous sickness fund it confirms that predictive performance of PCGs models is consistently better than the performance of the demographic model that is currently used. The study also describes and examines the Czech health insurance market and implications of..

Daňové a zdravotnické výzvy hospodářské politiky : tři eseje

První článek vyhodnocuje daňovou legislativu na Slovensku účinnou od ledna 2004 a hlavní změny za období 2005 - 2010 podle principů optimálního zdanění a optimálních daňových systémů. Autor hodnotí slovenský systém se zvláštním ohledem na daně z práce, daně z kapitálu a daně ze spotřeby. Zavedení rovné daně z příjmu fyzických osob a jednotné sazby DPH je v souladu z teorií optimálního zdanění a rovněž je za pozitivní považováno předpokládané snížení administrativních nákladů a míry daňových úniků. Systém je však možné ještě zlepšit, zejména přesunem daňové zátěže ze zdanění práce na zdanění spotřeby a kapitálu. Druhý článek analyzuje možnosti zlepšení kompenzace rizika v zdravotním pojištění v České republice. Z dostupných možností argumentuje v prospěch farmaceutických nákladových skupin (PCG) jako dalšího rizikového faktoru, protože toto zlepšení je možné zavést téměř okamžitě. Na skutečných datech z anonymní zdravotní pojišťovny potvrzuje, že prediktivní schopnost PCG modelů je konzistentně lepší než v současnosti používaného demografického modelu. Článek rovněž popisuje a analyzuje český trh zdravotního pojištění a implikace navrhovaných změn tvůrců zdravotní politiky. Na základě zkušeností z jiných zemí upozorňuje na problém selekce rizika v případě, že navrhované změny nebudou doprovázeny přísnější...The first paper evaluates tax legislation in Slovakia, effected January 2004 and major changes in the period 2005 - 2010, according to principles of optimal taxation and optimal tax systems. The author evaluates the Slovak system with particular regard to taxes on labour, taxes on capital and taxes on consumption. The adoption of a flat personal-income-tax rate and a uniform VAT rate is viewed as in line with the optimal taxation theory, and the projected lessening of administrative costs and degree of tax evasion is positively evaluated. However, it is concluded that there is still room for improving the system by further shifting the burden away from taxes on labour to higher taxation of consumption and capital. The second paper analyses possible options to improve the risk adjustment of the health insurance system in the Czech Republic. Out of possible options it argues for including Pharmaceutical Cost Groups (PCGs) as additional risk factors since it is an improvement that can be implemented almost instantaneously. On real data from an anonymous sickness fund it confirms that predictive performance of PCGs models is consistently better than the performance of the demographic model that is currently used. The study also describes and examines the Czech health insurance market and implications of...Institut ekonomických studiíInstitute of Economic StudiesFaculty of Social SciencesFakulta sociálních vě

Improving Risk Adjustment in the Czech Republic

This paper analyses possible options how to improve the risk adjustment of the health insurance system in the Czech Republic. From the possible options it argues for including pharmaceutical cost groups (PCGs) as additional risk factors since it is an improvement that can be implemented almost instantaneously. On real data from an anonymous sickness fund it confirms that predictive performance of PCGs models is consistently better than the performance of the demographic model that is currently used. The study also describes and examines the Czech health insurance market and implications of proposed changes of policy makers. Based on experience from other countries we point to a problem of risk selection if the changes are not accompanied by a tighter regulation, specifically in the form of improved risk adjustment formula.risk adjustment, pharmaceutical cost groups, health insurance, Czech Republic

Modelling Bank Loan LGD of Corporate and SME Segments: A Case Study

The aim of this paper is to propose a methodology to estimate loss given default (LGD) and apply it to a set of micro-data of loans to SME and corporations of an anonymous commercial bank from Central Europe. LGD estimates are important inputs in the pricing of credit risk and the measurement of bank profitability and solvency. Basel II Advance IRB Approach requires internally estimates of LGD to calculate risk-weighted assets and to estimate expected loss. We analyse the recovery rate dynamically over time and identify the efficient recovery period of a workout department. Moreover, we focus on the appropriate choice of a discount factor by introducing risk premium based on a risk level of collaterals. We apply statistical methods to estimate LGD and test empirically its determinants. Particularly, we analyse generalised linear models using symmetric logit and asymmetric log-log link functions for ordinal responses as well as for fractional responses. For fractional responses we employ two alternatives, a beta inflated distribution and a quasi-maximum likelihood estimator. We find out that the main drivers of LGD are a relative value of collateral, a loan size as well as a year of the loan origination. Different models provided similar results. As for the different links in more complex models, log-log models in some cases perform better, implying an asymmetric response of the dependent variable.credit risk, bank loan, loss given default, LGD, recovery rate, fractional responses, ordinal regression, quasi-maximum likelihood estimator