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Do tax incentives for saving in pension accounts cause debt accumulation? Evidence from Danish register data

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  • Andersen, Henrik Yde

Abstract

This paper applies a quasi-experimental research design on a Danish 2010 policy that reduced tax incentives for saving in annuity pension schemes to show significant substitution of savings from retirement accounts to gross debt repayments. We find that for every 1 Danish currency unit reduction in retirement savings 31 cents goes to debt repayments. Taking into account all types of savings, we find full crowding-out. Consistent with previous findings, we document that the effect is driven by a minority, about 23 percent, who actively rebalance their savings.

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  • Andersen, Henrik Yde, 2018. "Do tax incentives for saving in pension accounts cause debt accumulation? Evidence from Danish register data," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 35-53.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:106:y:2018:i:c:p:35-53
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2018.04.007
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    3. Camilla Skovbo Christensen & Bastian Emil Ellegaard, 2022. "Do Tax Subsidies for Retirement Saving Impact Total Private Saving? New Evidence on Middle-income Workers," CEBI working paper series 22-17, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    4. Jakobsen, Katrine Marie & Søgaard, Jakob Egholt, 2022. "Identifying behavioral responses to tax reforms: New insights and a new approach," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 212(C).
    5. Andersen, Torben M & Bhattacharya, Joydeep & Grodecka-Messi, Anna & Mann, Katja, 2022. "Pension reform and wealth inequality: evidence from Denmark," CEPR Discussion Papers 17078, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Esteban Garcia-Miralles & Jonathan M. Leganza, 2021. "Public Pensions and Private Savings," CEBI working paper series 21-06, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    7. Andersen, Henrik Yde, 2021. "Pension taxation, household debt and the real economy," Nationaløkonomisk tidsskrift, Nationaløkonomisk Forening, vol. 2021(1), pages 1-14.
    8. Laurence O'Brien, 2023. "The effect of tax incentives on private pension saving," IFS Working Papers W23/10, Institute for Fiscal Studies.

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