Most of the available comparative empirical evidence on levels and trends in income inequalities and poverty in OECD countries relies on the concept of household disposable cash income, thus ignoring the services governments provide to households. Including those services matters a lot, however,...

Since 2000, the individual monthly payments from the Germany Statutory Pension Insurance Scheme (GRV) to new male pensioners have been declining. Those entering retirement today receive an average of 7 percent less than those who retired ten years ago. At the same time, the number of recipients...