More than 10 years ago O'Donoghue (2001a) surveyed the dynamic microsimulation models that had been developed up to that point. However many of the barriers mentioned have been gradually overcome in the last decade. This paper surveys the development and practices in dynamic microsimulation over the past decade, and discusses the methodological challenges today. It provides an overview of the methodological choices made in more than 60 known dynamic microsimulation models and examines the advantages and disadvantages of different practices. In addition, this paper reviews the main progress made in the field and explores how future microsimulation models could evolve potentially.
Farm succession and inheritance is increasingly considered a complex phenomenon which not only affects core dimensions of farm family life but also the agricultural sector more widely. Intergenerational farm transfer in particular is increasingly viewed as fundamental to the sustainability and development of global agriculture. In the majority of EU countries, the average age of farmers is increasing, while the number of farmers under 40 years of age is decreasing. There is growing concern that this demographic trend may have negative impacts on the agricultural industry because it is younger and not older farmers who are associated with more efficient and effective production practices. The question of what motivates decisions to transfer farms is a complex one, and research to date has not apparently enlightened agricultural policy to the extent that current trends towards an ageing farm population are being managed.This research aims to investigate economic and financial aspects of the policy drivers of farm succession and inheritance in Ireland to understand what it is about the policy environment that is failing to stimulate higher levels of farm transfer. It draws on the Teagasc National Farm Survey data which provides Irish data to the Farm Accountancy Data Network in the European Commission. A hypothetical microsimulation model is used to investigate economic factors of farm transfers, with scenarios created to test these factors and their impacts on the transfer process. The Net Present Value (NPV) of income streams for farmers and their successors are calculated to assess which scenarios have the highest/lowest financial effects. The findings illustrate a range of possible scenarios for farm succession/inheritance, with some results indicating that under current policy retaining a farm until death may be more economically beneficial to a farmer than transferring land before death.
While policies to eliminate poverty remain the responsibility of member states, the European Union may have a role to play in setting minimum standards. This paper explores the implications of a European Minimum Pension. A prototype Europe–wide tax benefit microsimulation model is used to examine the distributional impact of the reform, asking how far such a policy is ‘targeted’ on the poorest pensioners. We conclude that the formulation of policy for the protection of Europe’s poorest people requires an appreciation not only of the situation of this group, but also of the assumptions that have been used to identify it.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.