Development and maintenance of microsimulation models

In this project proposal we discuss the recurrent maintenance and the further expansion of the FANTASI (Fiscal ANalysis and TAx Simulation) microsimulation model that will be delivered to Finance and Budget Flanders in early 2019. FANTASI is a micro simulation model. 'Micro' refers to the fact that the underlying information consists of micro data from the tax returns, namely the IPCAL file. This allows the calculations to be performed at the level of each individual and every fiscal household in the data set. This allows the model to paint a very precise picture of the income tax receipts, and of the scope of all instruments within that income tax. FANTASI is also a 'simulation' model, which gives the user great freedom to simulate tax reforms and future policy changes. FANTASI differs among other things because of this simulation aspect of the administrative calculators, such as TaxOnWeb. Because the model calculates all data at the micro level, it also allows distribution analyzes of the effects of policy changes