Paper #1537

Títol:

Thinking of incentivizing care? The effect of demand subsidies on informal caregiving and intergenerational transfers

Autors:

Joan Costa-Font, Sergi Jiménez-Martín i Cristina Vilaplana-Prieto

Data:

Setembre 2016 (Revisió: Maig 2017)

Resum:

We show that demand side cash subsidies to care recipients alter both caregiving and intergenerational transfer decisions. We exploit a quasi-natural experiment referring to the inception of a universal caregiving allowance (in 2007 and its reduction in 2012). We find a caregiving subsidy (of a magnitude of 530€ in 2011) to increase the probability of informal caregiving by 32% (the intensity of care in 13.5 days/year). Similarly, we find that downstream (upstream) intergenerational transfers increased (decreased) in a magnitude of 29% (15%). The effects concentrate among middle and lower income households, and were attenuated by the reduction of the subsidy.

Paraules clau:

caregiving, intergenerational transfers, difference-in-differences, long-term care, family transfers, exchange motivation, caregiving allowances, demand side cash subsidies.

Codis JEL:

I18, D14, G22.

Àrea de Recerca:

Economia Laboral, Pública, de Desenvolupament i de la Salut / Estadística, Econometria i Mètodes Quantitatius

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