We consider the taxation of non-listed companies and their owners in Finland. We analyse how the current highly non-linear dividend taxation influences the allocation of labour and capital across different firms, average labour productivity and the equilibrium wage level. To this end, we use a...

We analyse how alternative reforms of the student financial aid would influence average study duration, government expenditures, and tax revenues. We also consider the reform that has been proposed by the current government (in 2016) which consists of lowering the monthly student grant and...

The bulk of innovation subsidies in Finland are allocated to firms in industries where the employment share of “innovators,” i.e., workers who are specialized in R&D&I, is very high. The average subsidy per employee is typically the highest among young firms. At the firm level, an increase...

In a dynamic setting, housing is both an asset and a consumption good.But should it be taxed like other forms of consumption or like other forms of saving?We consider the optimal taxation of the imputed rent from owner housing within a version of the neoclassical growth model.We find that the...

We study how a household borrowing constraint the the form of a down payment requirement affects house price dynamics in an OLG model with standard preferences. We find that in certain situations the borrowing constraint shapes house price dynamics substantially. The importance of the constraint...

​We study the interaction of matching and credit frictions in the housing market. In the model, risk-averse households may save or borrow in order to smooth consumption over time and finance owner housing. Prospective sellers and buyers meet randomly and bargain over the price. We analyze how...

We describe the costs of the conscription system from different perspectives. In particular, we consider the definition of opportunity cost related to the service time of conscripts. This is a cost that is not directly reflected in the state budget. In addition, we review related literature and...

At present, businesses in Finland can deduct the cost of many investment goods from taxable income only gradually over several years. Higher expensing limits would allow them to deduct investments costs faster, while full expensing would allow them to deduct the cost of investment goods in full...

Many elderly people in Finland could increase they standard of living and receive more freedom of choice regarding long-term care by releasing part of their housing equity. The possibility to purchase reasonably priced life annuities and long-term care insurance would increase the benefits of...

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 individuals' expected lifetime utility. Moreover, it also lowers the...