This paper discusses alternative ways to deal with the positive externalities of having children in a pay-as-you-go pension system. Family allowances are compared to introducing a fertility-related component into the pension formula. In an endogenous labor supply setting, both instruments are...

Although decision processes at the EU level are highly complex and often require unanimity, explicit side payments among member states are unknown. However, logrolling and redistributive policies are substitutes. This paper considers the EU regional policy as a substitute for explicit side...

In a model with endogenous fertility and labor supply three instruments of family policies are analyzed: child benefits, subsidies for external child care, and parental leave payments. We compare the impact on the quantity and quality of children, the secondary earner's labor supply and welfare....

Kinderlosigkeit hat zwei unmittelbare Auswirkungen auf das Rentensystem. Erstens stehen dadurch in der nächsten Generation weniger Beitragszahler zur Verfügung. Zweitens zahlen Kinderlose ihrerseits typischerweise mehr Rentenbeiträge. Denn insbesondere Frauen ohne Kinder haben ein meist...

The contrasting trends toward earlier retirement and greater longevity have resulted in steadily increasing retirement costs over the last forty years. One important factor influencing early retirement decisions is the expansion of retirement benefits; but studies predict that most countries,...

Mit seinem Urteil vom 26. Januar 2005 hob das Bundesverfassungsgericht das Verbot von Studiengebühren für das Erststudium auf und stellt es damit den Bundesländern frei, Studiengebühren zu erheben. In diesem Beitrag wird argumentiert, dass Studiengebühren als solche nicht ungerecht sein...