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Erbschaftsteuer als "Reichenbesteuerung" mit Aufkommenspotential?

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  • Henriette Houben
  • Ralf Maiterth

Abstract

The popular idea of increasing the inheritance tax revenue via a tax-rate-cut-cum-base-broadening-policy is based on macroeconomic estimates. These models apply national wealth and life tables to assess the size of aggregate inheritance. Microeconomic estimates based on the German Inheritance Tax Statistics and the SOEP deliver significantly lower aggregate inheritance and, thereby, ceteris paribus substantially higher tax rates. Hence, imposing higher inheritance tax burdens on "the rich" is accompanied by higher tax loads for companies. Overestimating the size of aggregate inheritance in macroeconomic models has in particular two reasons. First, too high mortality rates are applied to national wealth. Second, the national wealth concept is not oriented towards market values in terms of realizable selling prices. Neither tax evasion nor undercoverage of "the rich" in micro-data might explain the differences in the two approaches. Die oftmals anzutreffende Vorstellung, durch die Beseitigung von Steuervergünstigungen ließe sich mit niedrigen Steuersätzen ein merkliches Mehraufkommen bei der Erbschaftsteuer erzielen, beruht auf makrobasierten Schätzungen. Dabei wird das Erbschaftsvolumen mithilfe des gesamtwirtschaftlichen Vermögensbestandes und Sterbetafeln geschätzt. Mikrobasierte Schätzungen auf Basis der Erbschaftsteuerstatistik und des SOEP ermitteln dagegen ein erheblich geringeres Erbschaftsvolumen und damit ceteris paribus deutlich höhere Steuersätze. Eine stärkere "Reichenbesteuerung" lässt sich folglich nicht ohne eine höhere Steuerbelastungen von Betriebsvermögen realisieren. Die Überschätzung des Erbschaftsgeschehens in Makromodellen resultiert sowohl aus der Verwendung zu hoher Sterberaten als auch einer gesamtwirtschaftlichen Vermögenskonzeption, die nicht an Marktwerten im Sinne erzielbarer Veräußerungserlöse ausgerichtet ist. Steuerhinterziehung und die Untererfassung "der Reichen" in mikrobasierten Schätzungen erklären die Differenzen dagegen nicht.

Suggested Citation

  • Henriette Houben & Ralf Maiterth, 2013. "Erbschaftsteuer als "Reichenbesteuerung" mit Aufkommenspotential?," Vierteljahrshefte zur Wirtschaftsforschung / Quarterly Journal of Economic Research, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 82(1), pages 147-175.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwvjh:82-1-10
    DOI: 10.3790/vjh.82.1.147
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Lant Pritchett & Lawrence H. Summers, 1996. "Wealthier is Healthier," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 31(4), pages 841-868.
    2. Houben, Henriette & Maiterth, Ralf, 2009. "Zurück zum Zehnten: Modelle für die nächste Erbschaftsteuerreform," arqus Discussion Papers in Quantitative Tax Research 69, arqus - Arbeitskreis Quantitative Steuerlehre.
    3. Stefan Bach & Wiebke Broekelschen & Ralf Maiterth, 2006. "Mangelhafte Grundstücksbewertung und Privilegien für Betriebsvermögen gefährden die Erbschaftsteuer," DIW Wochenbericht, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research, vol. 73(44), pages 617-624.
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    Cited by:

    1. Sommer, Eric, 2017. "Wealth Transfers and Tax Planning: Evidence for the German Bequest Tax," IZA Discussion Papers 11120, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Stefan Humer, 2014. "Aufkommen von Erbschaftssteuern - Modellrechnung exemplarischer Tarife," Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft - WuG, Kammer für Arbeiter und Angestellte für Wien, Abteilung Wirtschaftswissenschaft und Statistik, vol. 40(1), pages 151-159.
    3. Margit Schratzenstaller, 2013. "Vermögensbezogene Steuern. Ansatzpunkte, internationaler Vergleich und Optionen für Deutschland," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 47219.
    4. Brunner Johann K., 2014. "Die Erbschaftsteuer – Bestandteil eines optimalen Steuersystems?," Perspektiven der Wirtschaftspolitik, De Gruyter, vol. 15(3), pages 199-218, October.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inheritance tax; wealth measurement; probability of death;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E1 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies

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