This paper presents a comprehensive characterization of "fiscal drag" - the increase in tax revenue that occurs when nominal tax bases grow but nominal parameters of progressive tax legislation are not updated accordingly - across 21 European countries using a microsimulation approach. First, we...

This paper presents a comprehensive characterization of "fiscal drag" - the increase in tax revenue that occurs when nominal tax bases grow but nominal parameters of progressive tax legislation are not updated accordingly - across 21 European countries using a microsimulation approach. First, we...

Socio-economic differences in longevity have fuelled a debate whether pension systems have a regressive bias favouring groups with a high life expectancy. We show that the distributional implications of such pooling depend critically on the benefit profile across age/time, which in turn is...

Ireland is one of the few European countries without a universal healthcare system (UHC). Instead, a complex system of means-tested schemes that provide free access to various healthcare services or reduced cost medication exist. The most central component of this complex system is the Medical...

Ireland is one of the few European countries without a universal healthcare system (UHC). Instead, a complex system of means-tested schemes that provide free access to various healthcare services or reduced cost medication exist. The most central component of this complex system is the Medical...

Socio-economic differences in longevity have fuelled a debate whether pension systems have a regressive bias favouring groups with a high life expectancy. We show that the distributional implications of such pooling depend critically on the benefit profile across age/time, which in turn is...

We build on recent developments in the theory of money and liquidity to provide a qualitative and quantitative explanation for the well-known TIPS illiquidity vis-'a-vis non-inflation-protected Treasuries. Our model does not assume exogenous differences between the markets where the two assets...

We study the redistributive effect of inflation-induced revenue and expenditure variations in the Italian tax-benefit system in a context in which pensions and social transfers are indexed to inflation and nominal wage growth struggles to keep up. By means of the EUROMOD microsimulation model,...

In Hungary, average initial old age pensions have risen much faster than average pensions over the past decade. Several factors have contributed to this, of which the method of valorization and official earnings statistics are of particular importance. In most countries, initial pensions are...

Public pensions are indexed to prices or wages or to their combinations; therefore, the impact of inflation on the real value of benefits can often be neglected, especially under indexation to prices. At high and accelerating/decelerating inflation like currently prevailing in Hungary, however,...

In Hungary, average initial old age pensions have risen much faster than average pensions over the past decade. Several factors have contributed to this, of which the method of valorization and official earnings statistics are of particular importance. In most countries, initial pensions are...

Public pensions are indexed to prices or wages or to their combinations; therefore, the impact of inflation on the real value of benefits can often be neglected, especially under indexation to prices. At high and accelerating/decelerating inflation like currently prevailing in Hungary, however,...

This paper presents a new global dataset on current practices for four budget items in terms of indexation to the price level and other nominal variables. Compiling data from documents of select multilateral organizations, governments, and related literature as well as conducting a survey among...

We study the redistributive effect of inflation-induced revenue and expenditure variations in the Italian tax-benefit system in a context in which pensions and social transfers are indexed to inflation and nominal wage growth struggles to keep up. By means of the EUROMOD microsimulation model,...

Index insurance programs in developing countries have focused almost entirely on agricultural production risk (yield), while largely avoiding output marketing risk (price). This omission may miss an important constraint on smallholder investment and may partially explain underwhelming demand for...

We examine the inflation-hedging properties of various financial assets and portfolios by estimating simple time-series models of the joint dynamics of each asset-inflation pair, for multiple inflation indices and at horizons from one month to 30 years. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to...