Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/147378 
Year of Publication: 
2016
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 6124
Publisher: 
Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich
Abstract: 
We still know little about what motivates the informal care arrangements provided in old age. The introduction of demand-side subsidies such as unconditional caregiving allowances (cash benefits designed either to incentivize the provision of informal care, or compensate for the loss of employment of informal caregivers) provide us with an opportunity to gain a further understanding of the matter. In this paper we exploit a quasi-natural experiment to identify the effects of the inception in 2007 (and its reduction in 2012) of a universal caregiving allowance on both the supply of informal care, and subsequent intergenerational transfer flows. We find evidence of a 30% rise in informal caregiving after the subsidy, and an increase (reduction) in downstream (upstream) intergenerational transfers of 29% (and 15%). Estimates were heterogeneous by income and wealth quantiles. Consistently, the effects were attenuated by a subsequent policy intervention; the reduction of the subsidy amidst austerity cuts in 2012.
Subjects: 
caregiving
intergenerational transfers
difference-in-differences
long-term care
family transfers
exchange motivation
caregiving allowances
demand-side subsidies
JEL: 
I18
D14
G22
Document Type: 
Working Paper
Appears in Collections:

Files in This Item:
File
Size





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.