Niku Määttänen

We compare different tax incentive schemes for private R&D investments using a numerical model of R&D-investments and firm dynamics. We find that tax incentives that are based on the incremental annual spending increase firms’ R&D spending much more than tax incentives that are based on the level of R&D spending. However, incremental incentives also distort

We study the welfare effects of earnings testing flat-rate old-age benefits in a quantitative overlapping generations model with idiosyncratic labor income risk. In our model economy, even a moderate earnings testing reduces individualsŽ expected lifetime utility. Moreover, it also lowers the realized lifetime utilities of those at the bottom of the lifetime utility distribution. JEL:

Topics in Macroeconomics (2006) Vol 6:2, article 7 Publication year: 2006 Pages: 30 Language: English Other articles 341

We analyze how the tax treatment of voluntary retirement insurance has influenced individuals’ retirement decisions. Before 2005, the after-tax return to voluntary retirement savings was highest for those drawing their voluntary pensions before statutory pen-sions. This may have created an incentive for early retirement. Our survey data suggests, however, that individuals have not drawn voluntary

Future improvements in mortality are difficult to forecast. In this paper, we incorporate uncertainty about future mortality, or aggregate mortality risk, into an otherwise standard life cycle model with an intertemporal consumption-savings decision. The aggregate mortality process is calibrated based on European mortality series. We use the model to quantify the welfare cost of aggregate

JEL: H77, D72, D61 Publication year: 2004 Pages: 15 Price: 10€ Language: English Discussion Papers no. 939