Optimal tax the optimum. Stipulating this condition results in the following formula for the optimal top tax rate, if incomes are Pareto distributed: formula_1 where: Empirical estimation of the parameters of this equation suggests that the revenue-maximising top tax rate is between approximately 50% and 80%, although this estimate neglects long-run behavioural responses, which would imply higher elasticities and a lower optimal tax rate. Saez's analysis can also be generalised to tax rates other than the top rate. In the late 1970s, Arthur Laffer developed the Laffer curve, which demonstrates that there are two effects of changing tax rates: an arithmetic effect—if
Notional profit Notional profit Notional Profit A contract usually takes several years to get itself completed. If the profit on such contracts is recorded only after their completion, then wide fluctuations may be noted in the profit figures of contractors from year to year. To avoid these fluctuations in the reported profits and to reflect the revenue in the accounting period during which the activity is undertaken, the profit in respect of each contract in progress is transferred to the profit and loss account of the year by calculating the notional profit. The portion of notional profit to be transferred to the