It is argued that the German system of supporting low wage income earners by government transfers gives incentives for employers and employees to contract low wages and then to exploit the government. The paper analyses if such incentives do exist. It turns out that this is the case under...

Despite several income tax rate reductions in Germany, tax reform measures are proposed by several parties and by specific research groups. The intention is to lower marginal income tax rates substantially and at the same time to reduce or even to abolish tax expenditures. The major proposals...