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Examining the Impact of Taiwan's Cash Allowance Program on Private Households

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  • Lai, Mun Sim
  • Orsuwan, Meechai

Abstract

Summary To fill the gap of crowding-out literature in Asia, this study analyzes the crowding-out impact of Taiwan's public old-age allowances on familial transfers to poor parents. Using government data during 1990-2003, we estimate that 1$ of public transfers displaces 30-50 cents of inter-household transfers. One explanation is that the old parents in this analysis were from poor families and they reacted strongly to allowances. However, the overall consumption, especially in luxury goods, of the poor individuals has substantially increased. This finding indicates that Taiwan's old-age allowance program does improve the welfare of older individuals.

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  • Lai, Mun Sim & Orsuwan, Meechai, 2009. "Examining the Impact of Taiwan's Cash Allowance Program on Private Households," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(7), pages 1250-1260, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:37:y:2009:i:7:p:1250-1260
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    7. Lai, Nicole Mun Sim & Tung, An-Chi, 2015. "Who supports the elderly? The changing economic lifecycle reallocation in Taiwan, 1985 and 2005," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 5(C), pages 63-68.

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