Abstract

The proposal of a reform of the Italian capital income taxation, only a few years after the very comprehensive previous one, aims primarily to reduce taxation, through: rates cuts, dismissal of the accrual taxation of capital gains, tax deferral for investment funds. The paper argues that the proposed reform will worsen the tax system under all most relevant respects - neutrality, simplicity and fairness - despite the benefits that may derive from the adoption of a unique tax rate for interests and capital gains. The paper shows also that there is not a convincing case to scrap the current capital income tax system.