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Risky Earnings, Taxation and Entrepreneurial Choice: A Microeconometric Model for Germany

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  • Frank M. Fossen

Abstract

Which role do individual income prospects play in the decision to be an entrepreneur rather than an employee? In a model of occupational choice, higher expected after-tax earnings attract people to self-employment, while more risky net earnings deter risk-averse individuals. In this paper I analyse the expected value and variance of income in self-employment and dependent employment empirically, accounting for selection. Based on this analysis, structural models of self-employment entry and exit under risk are estimated, which include a standard risk aversion parameter. The model predicts that the German income tax reduction of 2000 induced smaller exit rates out of self-employment for men and smaller entry rates for women.

Suggested Citation

  • Frank M. Fossen, 2007. "Risky Earnings, Taxation and Entrepreneurial Choice: A Microeconometric Model for Germany," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 705, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp705
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    Cited by:

    1. Wiji Arulampalam & Andrea Papini, 2023. "Tax Progressivity and Self-Employment Dynamics," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 105(2), pages 376-391, March.
    2. Wagenhals Gerhard & Buck Jürgen, 2009. "Implementing a Dual Income Tax in Germany – Effects on Labor Supply and Income Distribution," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 229(1), pages 84-102, February.
    3. Jean-François Wen & Daniel V. Gordon, 2014. "An Empirical Model of Tax Convexity and Self-Employment," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 96(3), pages 471-482, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Entrepreneurship; risk; returns to self-employment; taxation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • D81 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Criteria for Decision-Making under Risk and Uncertainty
    • C51 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric Modeling - - - Model Construction and Estimation

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