Showing papers in "Finanzarchiv in 2010"
TL;DR: The authors developed a micro-simulation model to compare the distribution of statutory pension incomes for new retirees in 2020 with those in 2004, and found a growing post-retirement poverty, especially for low-skilled workers.
Abstract: The statutory pension system is still the most important income source among seniorcitizens in Germany. Due to increasing disruptions in employment biographies since the1970s and due to the mass unemployment in Eastern Germany since the 1990s, there isa growing fear of post-retirement poverty in Germany. We develop a micro-simulation model to compare the distribution of statutory pension incomes for new retirees in 2020 with those in 2004. The pension income distribution is calculated for Eastern and Western Germany separately, for men and women, and for different skill levels.Throughout Germany, we find a growing post-retirement poverty, especially for low-skilled workers. Eastern Germany will lose its current advantage in terms of highpensions and low inequality.
41 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors show that owners of small firms that became widely held corporations have higher income growth than those that remained in self-employment or as a closely held corporation.
Abstract: Evidence of owners of small businesses engaging in tax motivated shifts in organizational form is scarce. The main reason is lack of micro data enabling us to track tax-payers’ movements across organizational modes. By exploiting new panel data that combine information from several public registers, we observe Norwegian owners of small businesses and their organizational forms in the period from 1993 to 2003. Under the hypothesis that certain characteristics of the Norwegian dual income tax system encourage shifts into widely held corporations, we observe outcomes for different organizational form choices. We show that owners of small firms that became widely held corporations have higher income growth than those that remained in self-employment or as a closely held corporation.
28 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors investigate the effect of the difference in taxation of debt and equity financing on capital structures and find that a higher tax benefit of debt has the expected significant positive impact on a company's financial leverage.
Abstract: This paper empirically analyses whether both personal and corporate taxation have an impact on companies' capital structure decisions. We investigate the effect of the difference in taxation of debt and equity financing on capital structures. Our empirical results, based on a comprehensive panel of European firm-level data, suggest that a higher tax benefit of debt has the expected significant positive impact on a company's financial leverage. Particularly, we find evidence that the capital structures of smaller companies respond more heavily to changes in the tax benefit of debt. Additional analysis confirms that not only corporate taxes are relevant for corporate financial planning, but variation in capital income tax rates at the shareholder level implicates significant capital structure adjustments as well. Moreover, we find substitutive relationships between non-debt tax shields and the effect of the corporate tax rate on capital structures.
24 citations
TL;DR: Experimental and behavioral economics are well-established branches of economic science, and as mentioned in this paper discusses some results and behavioral regularities from these fields, which are of potential and actual importance for public policy.
Abstract: Experimental and behavioral economics are well-established branches of economic science. This essay presents and discusses some results and behavioral regularities from these fields, which are of potential and actual importance for public policy. After a brief introduction to what experimental and behavioral economics are, some important behavioral regularities - presentation and framing effects, prosocial behavior, and reciprocity - are introduced, and it is reported how they interact with prominent trading institutions, taxation, and social and individual well-being. Throughout, some implications for public policy are discussed.
19 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors test whether thresholds perform better if they are endogenously chosen, i.e., whether a threshold is approved in a referendum, because voting may facilitate coordination due to signaling and commitment effects.
Abstract: Introducing a threshold in the sense of a minimal project size transforms a public-good game with an inefficient equilibrium into a coordination game with a set of Pareto-superior equilibria. Thresholds may therefore improve efficiency in the voluntary provision of public goods. In our one-shot experiment, we find that coordination often fails and exogenously imposed thresholds are ineffective at best and often counterproductive. This holds over a range of threshold levels and refund rates. We test whether thresholds perform better if they are endogenously chosen, i.e., whether a threshold is approved in a referendum, because voting may facilitate coordination due to signaling and commitment effects. We find that voting does have signaling and commitment effects, but they are not strong enough to significantly improve the efficiency of thresholds.
18 citations
TL;DR: In the last three decades there has been an almost continuous undermining of the public interest by private interests operating either outside or inside Greek public administration as discussed by the authors, which has resulted in permanently large budget and current account deficits, which have in turn driven Greece's foreign indebtedness to alarming levels, necessitating the current bailout by the EU, ECB and IMF.
Abstract: During the last three decades there has been an almost continuous undermining of the public interest by private interests operating either outside or inside Greek public administration. The result of this infiltration has been a gradual loss of bureaucratic autonomy to pursue the public interest. The web of relationships developed between private interests and the two dominant political parties has eroded both the efficacy of public administration and the dynamism of the private sector as incumbent firms and public- (or quasipublic-) sector functionaries have been using their power to prevent the birth of new firms and to raid the state coffers. The upshot of this process has been the emergence of permanently large budget and current account deficits, which have in turn driven Greece's foreign indebtedness to alarming levels, necessitating the current bailout by the EU, ECB, and IMF.
18 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors analyzed the effect of compulsory military service on the demand for higher education, measured by the fraction of the working-age population enrolled in tertiary education.
Abstract: Using data from 1960 to 2000 for OECD countries, we analyze the effect of compulsory military service on the demand for higher education, measured by the fraction of the working-age population enrolled in tertiary education. Based on a theoretical model, we hypothesize that a military draft has a negative effect on education. Empirically, we confirm this for the mere existence of conscription, albeit usually at low statistical significance. However, increasing intensity of its enforcement, measured by the share of the labor force conscripted by the military and the duration of service, significantly reduces enrollment in higher education.
17 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, tax complexity and tax compliance are discussed in the context of behavioral tax economics, and the question of whether the state should play a role in protecting individuals from themselves, and whether individuals are susceptible to manipulation or even exploitation by the people who comprise the state.
Abstract: It is entirely appropriate that the study of public finance take seriously ‘‘behavioral’’ inconsistencies with traditional models of individual and collective decision-making. This raises the question of whether the state should play a role in protecting individuals from themselves, and whether individuals are susceptible to manipulation, or even exploitation, by the people who comprise the state. In this essay I two aspects of this issue --- tax complexity and tax compliance. In addressing these issues I ask, and offer some tentative answers to, what is distinctive about behavioral tax economics as a sub-field of behavioral economics and as a sub-field of tax economics.
16 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors analyse les donnees d'une etude ethnographique menee lors du Congres mondial acadien 2004, un evenement touristique d'enverguremondiale, dans le but de decrire les tensions ideologiques que souleve the mondionalisation dans la definition de l'identite acadienne.
Abstract: Dans cet article, nous analysons les donnees d’une etude ethnographique menee lors du Congres mondial acadien 2004, un evenement touristique d’envergure mondiale, dans le but de decrire les tensions ideologiques que souleve la mondialisation dans la definition de l’identite acadienne. Nous constatons que l’emergence de politiques publiques visant la commercialisation de l’identite acadienne sur le marche mondialise est a la source de conflits quant aux criteres d’inclusion au sein de l’espace discursif acadien. D’une part, un groupe d’acteurs modernisant tient a reproduire une Acadie linguistique, visant l’institutionnalisation d’espaces publics francophones ou la pratique du francais sert de critere determinant dans l’inclusion dans l’acadianite. D’autre part, des acteurs mondialisant cherchent a exploiter le critere genealogique pour vendre l’acadianite a un public mondial ainsi defini comme acadien. Cette deuxieme strategie met le bilinguisme de l’avant comme moyen d’inclure les Acadiens anglicises et les Cajuns. Nous en concluons qu’il importe, pour saisir les enjeux que souleve la mondialisation pour les minorites linguistiques, de comprendre les conditions economiques et les cadres de gouvernance qui sont a la base des changements que nous avons pu observer dans les discours et dans les pratiques.
15 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors establish within an intertemporal framework that firm activity is influenced by tax evasion if firms can invest in their long-term competitiveness, which in turn reduces tax-evasion payoffs, since evaded taxes may also be detected and penalized later on.
Abstract: This paper establishes within an intertemporal framework that firm activity is influenced by tax evasion if firms can invest in their long-term competitiveness. Higher investment raises the firm's survival probability, which in turn reduces tax-evasion payoffs, since evaded taxes may also be detected and penalized later on. At the same time, tax evasion in future periods increases future expected profits, making higher investment desirable. Consequently, tax evasion distorts investment, while the latter determines firm activity. Investment in the event of tax evasion may be higher or lower, depending on parameters of tax enforcement.
13 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a comparative analysis of l'approche canadienne de l'enjeu de la sante pour les communautes francophones en situation minoritaire (CFSM) is presented, where l'Etat canadien a favorise une demarche de concertation avec les acteurs communautaires.
Abstract: Dans notre article, nous presentons une analyse comparative de l’approche canadienne de l’enjeu de la sante pour les communautes francophones en situation minoritaire (CFSM). Nous montrons que l’Etat canadien a favorise une demarche de concertation avec les acteurs communautaires. Notre analyse comparative nous a permis de degager une typologie des politiques linguistiques en matiere de sante destinees aux CFSM. Cette typologie permet de situer l’experience canadienne par rapport a d’autres experiences, parfois proches, mais presentant des perspectives differentes, comme le montrent les cas finlandais, belge et etats-unien. La « voie » canadienne parait originale dans la mesure ou elle semble se situer entre un modele communautaire, a l’instar des pays europeens, et un modele individualise, a l’instar de ce qui se fait aux Etats-Unis.
TL;DR: In this paper, an echantillon de 8.124 eleves du secondaire, provenant de 30 conseils scolaires francophones situes a l'exterieur du Quebec, a participe a l’etude.
Abstract: L’etude a pour objet de verifier empiriquement la validite d’un modele theorique qui propose un systeme de relations liant la construction de l’identite ethnolinguistique a la satisfaction de vie, un aspect du mieux-etre psychologique, et a l’autoevaluation de sa sante. Un echantillon de 8 124 eleves du secondaire, provenant de 30 conseils scolaires francophones situes a l’exterieur du Quebec, a participe a l’etude. Les resultats sont conformes au modele fonde sur la theorie de l’autodetermination, qui stipule que lorsque la construction identitaire se fait dans un contexte d’appui a des besoins psychologiques de base, elle est reliee au mieux-etre psychologique de la personne.
TL;DR: In this paper, the distributive justice of the combined burden of taxes, social security contributions, and public transfers on employee households is analyzed in the German tax-benefit system, and evidence for a structural discrimination against low-income families, while high-income earners tend to be privileged.
Abstract: We analyze the distributive justice of the combined burden of taxes, social security contributions, and public transfers on employee households. Comparing eight different household types, we utilize the concept of horizontal equity regarding the treatment of families in the German tax-benefit system. Applying system-inherent equivalence scales, we find evidence for a structural discrimination against low-income families, while high-income earners tend to be privileged. Therefore, we can state a significant contradiction of value judgments between the social welfare system and the German tax and social security legislation.
TL;DR: In this article, the effect of the Lintner model for cross-border intra-firm intra-irm dividend payments of German affiliates to their German parent companies is explored.
Abstract: This paper explores the effect dividend taxes exert on dividends repatriated from foreign affiliates to their German parent companies. The empirical analysis based on firm-level data from the Microdatabase Direct Investment provided by the Deutsche Bundesbank first signals the validity of the original Lintner model for cross-border intrafirm dividend payments of German affiliates abroad. Second, results imply that high dividend taxes indeed have a statistically significant negative effect on dividends repatriated. Our calculations suggest that a one-percentage-point decrease in the dividend tax rate would increase dividends repatriated by about 3.75%. Evaluated at the mean of positive dividend payments, a semielasticity of -1.71 is derived.
TL;DR: In this article, the optimal income and commodity taxation in an economy, where alcohol is an externality-generating consumption good, was studied, and it was shown that alcohol can be bought domestically, imported, or exported.
Abstract: This paper deals with optimal income and commodity taxation in an economy, where alcohol is an externality-generating consumption good. In our model, alcohol can be bought domestically, imported, o ...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigate the representations that les francophones vivant en situation minoritaire ont of leur sante and de celle de leur communaute, de meme that leurs perceptions des systemes de soins auxquels ils ont acces, particulierement lorsqu’ils vivent dans des regions rurales ou eloignees.
Abstract: Cette enquete a pour objectif d’analyser les representations que les francophones vivant en situation minoritaire ont de leur sante et de celle de leur communaute, de meme que leurs perceptions des systemes de soins auxquels ils ont acces, particulierement lorsqu’ils vivent dans des regions rurales ou eloignees. De type qualitatif, l’enquete a ete realisee dans le nord-est de l’Ontario aupres de 32 francophones provenant de dix villes differentes. Les resultats montrent que le mepris de la langue minoritaire, le manque de services et de consideration pour les francophones ainsi que le faible interet accorde par le gouvernement aux usagers des regions eloignees sont les pivots autour desquels se construisent l’insecurite et les desillusions par rapport au systeme de sante de la province.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the results of a study on the pratiques langagieres and le bilinguisme dans la fonction publique federale du Canada, and present les resultats partiels d'une etude ethno-sociolinguistique menee dans un milieu de travail bilingue situe a Moncton, au Nouveau-Brunswick.
Abstract: Cet article porte sur les pratiques langagieres et le bilinguisme dans la fonction publique federale du Canada, et presente les resultats partiels d’une etude ethno-sociolinguistique menee dans un milieu de travail bilingue situe a Moncton, au Nouveau-Brunswick. Il sera plus precisement question des luttes et des tensions qui s’articulent autour du bilinguisme a la lumiere des transformations sociales et economiques qu’ont connues les minorites linguistiques francophones du Canada depuis une quarantaine d’annees.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors calibrate the graduated income tax system currently in place in France while assuming that the number of earning-ability types in the economy are four and compute the optimal linear and nonlinear income tax schedules for this economy.
Abstract: This paper calibrates the graduated income tax system currently in place in France while assuming that the number of earning-ability types in the economy are four. It also computes the optimal linear and nonlinear income tax schedules for this economy. Its main …nding is that while an optimal linear income tax is (in most scenarios) welfare superior to the current tax system, the welfare gain may be small. On the other hand, an optimal general income tax leads to substantial welfare gains over the present system. JEL classi…cation: H21
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors introduce a collection of articles on transformation sociale in Canada francophone, notamment the maniere dont le changement economique (crise des industries traditionnelles, emergence de la nouvelle economie mondialisee) and social (urbanisation, mobilite) remet en question les ideologies dominantes a propos du lien entre la langue, l'identite and la nation.
Abstract: Cet article sert d’introduction a l’ensemble des articles de ce numero. Il met l’accent sur les processus generaux de transformation sociale en cours au Canada francophone, notamment la maniere dont le changement economique (crise des industries traditionnelles, emergence de la nouvelle economie mondialisee) et social (urbanisation, mobilite) remet en question les ideologies dominantes a propos du lien entre la langue, l’identite et la nation. Il touche aussi aux methodologies d’enquete developpees pour tenir compte d’une realite de mouvance et de reseautage, pour remplacer celle axee sur l’idee de communautes fixes et stables.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors derive closed-form solutions for optimal pay-as-you-go social security programs and demonstrate that the nature of the implied risk-sharing effects and their magnitudes are sensitive to the stochastic specification of aggregate wage income growth.
Abstract: Adopting a portfolio choice approach to pension design, we derive illuminating closed form solutions for optimal pay-as-you-go social security programs. We demonstrate that the nature of the implied risk-sharing effects and their magnitudes are sensitive to the stochastic specification of aggregate wage income growth (i.e. the implicit return on the pay-as-you-go program). Considering individuals in any generation from a "Rawlsian", prebirth perspective, fairly large pay-as-you-go programs in terms of the magnitude of the optimal contribution rate can be rationalized if wage shocks are not permanent.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors consider the behavioural responses of companies' declared profits to changes in profit tax rates using microsimulation modelling based on the UK corporate tax system and argue that the cyclical volatility of firms' gross profits and off-setting deductions are potentially important but distinct determinants of the size of these behavioural responses.
Abstract: This paper considers behavioural responses of companies´ declared profits to changes in profit tax rates. Using microsimulation modelling based on the UK corporate tax system, it argues that the cyclical volatility of firms´ gross profits and off-setting deductions are potentially important but distinct determinants of the size of these behavioural responses. This arises both because deductions claimed are typically a relatively large fraction of declared gross profits and because of the endogenous relationships between various deductions and those profits. The endogeneity arises mainly from asymmetries in the tax treatment of losses, which generates an asymmetric cycle in the claiming of losses and capital allowances as profit off-sets. Microsimulation modelling shows that these aspects can be sizeable compared with recent estimates of firms´ profit-shifting responses found in the empirical literature.
TL;DR: The authors examine les pratiques langagieres and les discours sur la langue and l'identite dans an entreprise montrealaise de postproduction en pleine expansion.
Abstract: Ce texte examine les pratiques langagieres et les discours sur la langue et l’identite dans une entreprise montrealaise de postproduction en pleine expansion. Les donnees nous revelent un milieu ou le francais domine, mais ou des strategies sont mises en place pour gerer la communication bilingue ou multilingue. Malgre cette zone tampon (buffer zone), il devient apparent que le bilinguisme est une realite pour la majorite des employes, meme s’ils utilisent l’anglais de facon ponctuelle. De plus, nous constatons que le bilinguisme est present a plusieurs niveaux de l’entreprise et pas seulement aux echelons les plus eleves de la hierarchie. Dans les discours des employes, nous constatons des tensions et des contradictions au sujet du bilinguisme, decrit comme une ressource importante sur les plans individuel et collectif (le Quebec), mais aussi comme une menace a la vitalite de la langue francaise. D’autres tensions dans les discours se trouvent dans la perception des legislations visant la promotion et la protection de la langue francaise : cette politique est vue comme benefique pour le projet linguistique et culturel du Quebec, mais aussi comme un obstacle de plus pour le positionnement economique du Quebec sur un marche mondialise.
TL;DR: In this article, a barriere linguistique reduirait le recours aux services preventifs, l’acces aux services bases sur la communication and augmenterait the recours to services d’urgence.
Abstract: La barriere linguistique reduirait le recours aux services preventifs, l’acces aux services bases sur la communication et augmenterait le recours aux services d’urgence. Les femmes sont particulierement a risque a cause de leurs besoins accrus de services de sante et de soutien psychosociaux durant la grossesse, l’accouchement et la periode du post-partum. Cette etude vise a recueillir de l’information sur les experiences de maternite des femmes francophones (Canadiennes et immigrantes) du Nouveau-Brunswick et de l’Alberta. Les resultats de cette etude seront utilises pour ameliorer les soins de sante et l’acces a l’information pour les femmes enceintes en situation linguistique et culturel minoritaire.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the results of an analysis of the capacity of les centres scolaires communautaires (CSCs) to augment le contact avec la langue francaise dans huit domains de vie.
Abstract: La sante des francophones vivant en milieu minoritaire est un sujet d’actualite. Recemment, les centres scolaires communautaires (CSC) ont commence a explorer leur contribution en cette matiere, puisque traditionnellement, leurs activites portaient sur les besoins culturels, educatifs et sociaux des francophones. Cet article presente les resultats d’une etude qui examinait la capacite des CSC a augmenter le contact avec la langue francaise dans huit domaines de vie. Les centres ne semblent pas encore contribuer a l’augmentation des contacts avec la langue francaise dans le domaine de la sante. Toutefois, des exemples revelent qu’ils peuvent influencer, entre autres, la sante physique (cours d’aerobie, sports collectifs) et psychologique (cours sur la gestion du stress).
TL;DR: In this article, a comparative analysis of information on the sante offerte dans Internet for anglophones of l'Alberta is presented, comparing the nombre de textes en anglais and en angloupes.
Abstract: La presente etude examine, dans le contexte des langues officielles, quelques-uns des besoins insatisfaits des communautes de langue officielle en situation minoritaire (CLOSM) au Canada sur le plan de la sante. Nous presentons les resultats d’une analyse de l’information sur la sante offerte dans Internet aux francophones de l’Alberta. Nous avons procede a une evaluation comparative de l’information sur la sante destinee a la population albertaine en francais et en anglais dans Internet. En presentant les resultats, cette analyse compare le nombre de textes en francais et en anglais et se penche sur la qualite de la langue des textes en francais.
TL;DR: The Protocole d'evaluation de la securite a domicile (PESAD) as mentioned in this paper is an outil interessant et posséant de bonnes qualites metrologiques.
Abstract: Les intervenants de la sante sont appeles a se prononcer sur la securite des aines vivant a domicile et ils ont, a cet effet, tres peu d’outils francophones a leur disposition. Le Protocole d’evaluation de la securite a domicile (PESAD) est issu de la traduction et de la validation transculturelle du SAFER-HOME. Le processus de validation et l’etude de la fidelite des resultats ont mis en lumiere un outil interessant et possedant de bonnes qualites metrologiques. Il permet aux intervenants francophones d’obtenir des resultats d’evaluation complets et rigoureux relativement a la securite a domicile des aines francophones.
TL;DR: In this paper, the situation des Acadiens et des francophones des provinces maritimes (Nouvelle-Ecosse, Nouveau-Brunswick, Ile-du-Prince-Edouard) face a fibrose kystique, the maladie genetique letale la plus repandue en Amerique du Nord.
Abstract: Nous evaluons ici la situation des Acadiens et des francophones des provinces maritimes (Nouvelle-Ecosse, Nouveau-Brunswick, Ile-du-Prince-Edouard) face a la fibrose kystique, la maladie genetique letale la plus repandue en Amerique du Nord. Nos resultats indiquent que plusieurs familles acadiennes et francophones sont touchees par cette maladie et qu’il existe un besoin de documentation et de services en francais, specifiques aux communautes acadiennes. Des disparites regionales ont ete observees pour l’âge au diagnostic et le profil genetique, notamment dans les regions a majorite francophone. Cette analyse confirme le besoin d’etudes specifiques sur la sante des Acadiens et des francophones des Maritimes.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a general-equilibrium model of a small open economy, in which the production process of private goods generates pollution, and the government finances the production cost of a public consumption good through revenue from tariffs and pollution taxes.
Abstract: This paper presents a general-equilibrium model of a small open economy, in which the production process of private goods generates pollution, and the government finances the production cost of a public consumption good through revenue from tariffs and pollution taxes. Since a variety of distortions, including pollution, trade protection, and public production, exist, a change in tariffs and/or environmental taxes affects economic welfare, both directly and indirectly. Taking these effects into account, the conditions for welfare-enhancing, piecemeal policy reform are derived.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors essaye de comprendre comment se construisent et s interpretent les discours portant sur l'authenticite en Alberta and Ontario francais.
Abstract: En Alberta et en Ontario francais, la valorisation du patrimoine est liee a l’elaboration d’une authenticite, historique et linguistique, et sert une production de sens identitaire en meme temps qu’un developpement economique. Par l’intermediaire d’ecrits et d’entrevues, emanant du secteur public et officiel, nous avons essaye de comprendre comment se construisent et s’interpretent les discours portant sur l’authenticite en Alberta et Ontario francais. La vision authentique se trouve confrontee, dans une tension ineluctable, a un tourisme mondialise qui s’appuie parfois sur les competences multilingues et tente aussi d’echapper a une francophonie traditionnelle, tout en l’utilisant.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined the growth effects of an increase of capital income taxes with additional revenue being devoted to cut wage-related social security contributions to reduce unemployment and showed that the reform not only promotes employment but may additionally stimulate economic growth.
Abstract: This paper examines the growth effects of an increase of capital income taxes with additional revenue being devoted to cut wage-related social security contributions to reduce unemployment. The analysis is carried out in an overlapping generations model with endogenous growth, unemployment and a social security system comprising pensions and unemployment benefits. It is shown that the reform not only promotes employment but may additionally stimulate economic growth. Calibrating the model to match data for the EU15 reveals that European countries can indeed gain in form of higher employment and growth if the initial capital income tax is not too high.