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Can Inheritances Alleviate the Demographic Burden?

Erik Lueth

No 2001/097, IMF Working Papers from International Monetary Fund

Abstract: With pay-as-you-go schemes in place, population aging will impose a heavy fiscal burden on young and future cohorts. However, these cohorts may also profit from larger inheritances as the number of heirs declines. The aim of this paper is to explore the compensating potential of private intergenerational transfers. A dynamic, computable general equilibrium model is employed allowing for a pay-as-you-go scheme, various bequest motives, and an endogenous labor supply. The findings are twofold. First, the increase in future generations' inheritances is insufficient to make up for the demographic burden. Second, increasing the inheritance tax during the demographic transition may alleviate the fiscal burden of future generations by improving overall efficiency.

Keywords: WP; tax burden; utility function; Bequests; Taxation; computable GEM; factor income; offspring's net wage; price movement; budget constraint; pay-as-you-go scheme; opportunity cost; price effect; labor disincentive effect; capital income share; Labor supply; Demographic change; Tax allowances; Aging; Social assistance spending (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 27
Date: 2001-08-01
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