We present a proposal for reforming unemployment assistance in Germany through the introduction of unemployment accounts (UAs). Instead of paying taxes that finance the unemployment assistance, employed people make ongoing contributions to their UAs and can make withdrawals from these accounts...

Um die Arbeitsanreize und die Verteilungsgerechtigkeit des Arbeitslosengeldes II (ALG II) zu analysieren, ist eine Quantifizierung des Arbeitsleides und des Wertes der Haushaltsproduktion in verschiedenen Haushaltstypen notwendig. Da diese Größen nicht direkt beobachtbar sind, verwendet die...

Based on a description of the German system of taxes and transfers, the incentives to work are analyzed for several groups of the labor force. The effects of the Hartz IVʺ reform (effective from 2005 onwards) on the incentives receive particular attention. It turns out that the marginal...