Nearest Labelset Using Double Distances for Multi-label Classification

Multi-label classification is a type of supervised learning where an instance may belong to multiple labels simultaneously. Predicting each label independently has been criticized for not exploiting any correlation between labels. In this paper we propose a novel approach, Nearest Labelset using Double Distances (NLDD), that predicts the labelset observed in the training data that minimizes a weighted sum of the distances in both the feature space and the label space to the new instance. The weights specify the relative tradeoff between the two distances. The weights are estimated from a binomial regression of the number of misclassified labels as a function of the two distances. Model parameters are estimated by maximum likelihood. NLDD only considers labelsets observed in the training data, thus implicitly taking into account label dependencies. Experiments on benchmark multi-label data sets show that the proposed method on average outperforms other well-known approaches in terms of Hamming loss, 0/1 loss, and multi-label accuracy and ranks second after ECC on the F-measure

Semiparametric Stepwise Regression to Estimate Sales Promotion Effects

Kalyanam and Shively (1998) and van Heerde et al. (2001) have proposed semiparametric models to estimate the influence of price promotions on brand sales, and both obtained superior performance for their models compared to strictly parametric modeling. Following these researchers, we suggest another semiparametric framework which is based on penalized B-splines to analyze sales promotion effects flexibly. Unlike these researchers, we introduce a stepwise procedure with simultaneous smoothing parameter choice for variable selection. Applying this stepwise routine enables us to deal with product categories with many competitive items without imposing restrictions on the competitive market structure in advance. We illustrate the new methodology in an empirical application using weekly store-level scanner data

Effective taxation of top incomes in Germany

We exploit an exhaustive administrative dataset that includes the individual tax returns of all households in the top percentile of the income distribution in Germany to pin down the effective income taxation of households with very high incomes. Taking tax base erosion into account, we find that the top percentile of the income distribution pays an effective average tax rate of 30.5 percent and contributes more than a quarter of total income tax revenue. Within the top percentile, the effective average tax rate is first increasing and then decreasing with income. Since the 1990s, effective average tax rates for the German super rich have fallen by about a third, with major reductions occurring in the wake of the personal income tax reform of 2001-2005. As a result, the concentration of net incomes at the very top of the distribution has strongly increased in Germany. --personal income tax,taxing the rich,effective progressivity

Top Incomes and Top Taxes in Germany

We analyze the distribution and taxation of top incomes in Germany during the 1990s on the basis of individual tax returns data. We derive a measure of economic income from taxable gross income as reported in the tax returns. Thanks to complete sampling, we can deliver a very precise description of very high incomes, in terms of both distribution and composition by source. We also provide a measure of the effective average rate of taxation for various income groups. Our main findings are as follows: (i) incomes are highly concentrated in Germany, more than commonly thought; (ii) the German economic elite relies much less than elites in France or the US upon income from wages and salaries; (iii) income taxes are highly concentrated in Germany, more than commonly thought; (iv) although effective tax rates are significantly lower than statutory ones, the income tax is effectively progressive; (v) income taxation substantially reduces income inequality in Germany.income distribution, personal income tax, taxing the rich

Effective Taxation of Top Incomes in Germany, 1992 - 2002

We analyze the taxation of top personal incomes in Germany on the basis of an integrated data file of individual tax returns and a general household survey for the years 1992 - 2002. The unique feature of this integrated data set is that it includes all taxpayers in the top percentile of the gross income distribution. We show that despite substantial tax base erosion and significant reductions of top statutory marginal tax rates, German income taxation has remained effectively progressive. The distribution of the tax burden is highly concentrated, and the effective average income tax rate of the German economic elite - the top 0.001 quantile of the gross income distribution - is about 34 percent, which is well below the legislated tax rate.Personal Income Tax, Taxing the Rich, Effective Progressivity

A Wealth Tax on the Rich to Bring down Public Debt?: Revenue and Distributional Effects of a Capital Levy

The idea of higher wealth taxes to finance the mounting public debt in the wake of the financial crises is gaining ground in several OECD countries. We evaluate the revenue and distributional effects of a one-time capital levy on personal net wealth that is currently on the German political agenda. We use survey data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) and estimate the net wealth distribution at the very top, based on publicly available information about very rich Germans. Since net wealth is strongly concentrated, the capital levy could raise substantial revenue, even if relatively high personal allowances are granted. We also analyze the compliance and administrative costs of the capital levy.Capital levy, wealth distribution, microsimulation

A wealth tax on the rich to bring down public debt? Revenue and distributional effects of a capital levy

The idea of higher wealth taxes to finance the mounting public debt in the wake of the financial crises is gaining ground in several OECD countries. We evaluate the revenue and distributional effects of a one-time capital levy on personal net wealth that is currently on the German political agenda. We use survey data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) and estimate the net wealth distribution at the very top, based on publicly available information about very rich Germans. Since net wealth is strongly concentrated, the capital levy could raise substantial revenue, even if relatively high personal allowances are granted. We also analyze the compliance and administrative costs of the capital levy. --Capital levy,wealth distribution,microsimulation

Optimal top marginal tax rates under income splitting for couples

This paper provides formulas for optimal top marginal tax rates when couples are taxed according to income splitting between spouses, consumption is taxed, and the skill distribution is unbounded. Optimal top marginal income tax rates are computed for Germany using a dataset that includes the tax returns of all German top taxpayers. We find that the optimal top marginal tax rate converges to about 2/3 and convergence obtains at income levels that are substantially higher than those currently subject to the actual top tax rate. --optimal income taxation,top incomes,German income tax

Top Incomes and Top Taxes in Germany

We analyze the distribution and taxation of top incomes in Germany during the 1990s on the basis of individual tax returns data. We derive a measure of economic income from taxable gross income as reported in the tax returns. Thanks to complete sampling, we can deliver a very precise description of very high incomes, in terms of both distribution and composition by source. We also provide a measure of the effective average rate of taxation for various income groups. Our main findings are as follows: (i) incomes are highly concentrated in Germany, more than commonly thought; (ii) the German economic elite relies much less than elites in France or the US upon income from wages and salaries; (iii) income taxes are highly concentrated in Germany, more than commonly thought; (iv) although effective tax rates are significantly lower than statutory ones, the income tax is effectively progressive; (v) income taxation substantially reduces income inequality in Germany.Income distribution; Personal income tax; Taxing the rich

A Wealth Tax on the Rich to Bring down Public Debt?: Revenue and Distributional Effects of a Capital Levy

The idea of higher wealth taxes to finance the mounting public debt in the wake of the financial crises is gaining ground in several OECD countries. We evaluate the revenue and distributional effects of a one-time capital levy on personal net wealth that is currently on the German political agenda. We use survey data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) and estimate the net wealth distribution at the very top, based on publicly available information about very rich Germans. Since net wealth is strongly concentrated, the capital levy could raise substantial revenue, even if relatively high personal allowances are granted. We also analyze the compliance and administrative costs of the capital levy.Capital levy, wealth distribution, microsimulation