This paper presents an empirical framework for the analysis of mothers' labor supply and child care choices, explicitly taking into account access restrictions to subsidized child care. This is particularly important for countries such as Germany, where subsidized child care is rationed and...

Die gemeinsame Besteuerung von Ehepartnern im Rahmen des Ehegattensplittings ist nach wie vor ein großes Hemmniss der Erwerbsbeteiligung von verheirateten Frauen am Arbeitsmarkt in Deutschland. In ihrem aktuellen Finanzkonzept fordert die SPD, das Ehegattensplitting durch eine...

The joint taxation of married couples in Germany with full income splitting is still a major hindrance to the participation of married women in the labor market. In their current financial proposals, the SPD (Social Democratic Party) is calling for income splitting for married couples to be...

Parental leave and subsidized child care are prominent examples of family policies supporting the reconciliation of family life and labor market careers for mothers. In this paper, we combine different empirical strategies to evaluate the employment effects of these policies for mothers in...

Commissioned by the Federal Government, the "Overall Evaluation of Benefit Payments to Married Couples and Families" is the first study to systematically and comprehensively evaluate the key instruments of German family policy. The evaluation focused on the following family-policy goals:...

According to current survey results the reconciliation of family and work is still very difficult for a lot of parents. Most parents seek to share gainful employment and family duties more equally. Yet, financial incentives often favor the conventional single- or one and a halfearner model. In a...

From August 2013, every child in Germany who has reached his or her first birthday will have a legal right to a place in a childcare facility or family day care. What effects does this have on the mothers' economic activity and child development? Our findings show that the legal entitlement to...

We apply a structural model of mothers' labor supply and child care choices to evaluate the effects of two childcare reforms in Germany that were introduced simultaneously in August 2013. First, a legal claim to subsidized child care became effective for all children aged one year or older....

In August 2013, two child care reforms have come into effect at the same time: First, a legal claim to formal child care has been introduced for all children aged one year or older. Second, a new benefit called Betreuungsgeld has been introduced that is granted to families who do not use public...

This paper analyzes the question why desired and actual sharing of market work and family duties among parents with young children in Germany fall apart. Potential explanations include financial incentives favoring the single-earner model, as well as constraints in choosing working hours due to...