Do International Remittances Affect the Level and the Volatility of Government Tax Revenues?

This paper examines whether international remittance inflows expand fiscal space in receiving through their positive effects on the level and the stability of government tax revenues. It investigates whether these effects of remittances are conditional on the presence of a value added tax (VAT). Using a large sample of countries, and even after factoring in the endogeneity of remittances and the VAT adoption, this study highlights that remittance inflows increase the level and the stability of government tax revenue ratio in presence of a VAT. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.