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Ruth Maria Schüler

Dr. Ruth Maria Schüler

Economist for Social Security Systems and Income and Wealth Distribution

Tel: +49 221 4981-885 Ruth Maria Schüler
  • Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the University of Passau
  • Master of Science in Economics at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster
  • Master of Science in Economic History at the University of Lund
  • Doctorate (Dr. rer. pol.) at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich
  • Since 2018 at the IW
  • Since 2021 in the theme cluster State, taxes and social security
  • Research interests: Social security, distribution

IW Publications

Diermeier, Matthias / Schüler, Ruth Maria, 2023, Reform der Rentenversicherung in Deutschland. Eine Empirie zu Reformaversionen, in: IW-Trends, 50. Jg., Nr. 4, S. 45-60
Zur Studie

Schüler, Ruth Maria, 2023, Die Bedeutung von Wissen um die Alterssicherung für das Altersvorsorgeverhalten in Deutschland, in: IW-Trends, 50. Jg., Nr. 2, S. 77-95
Zur Studie

Schüler, Ruth Maria, 2023, Renteneintritt von Paaren in Deutschland, in: IW-Trends, 50. Jg., Nr. 1, S. 45-61
Zur Studie

Schüler, Ruth Maria / Diermeier, Matthias, 2023, Aufstieg und Fall von Industriestädten dies- und jenseits des Atlantiks, IW-Kurzbericht, Nr. 16, Köln
Zur Studie

Beznoska, Martin / von Haldenwang, Christian / Schüler, Ruth Maria, 2022, Steuervergünstigungen in den OECD-Ländern. Erkenntnisse aus der Global Tax Expenditures Database, IW-Report, Nr. 33, Berlin / Köln
Zur Studie

Schüler, Ruth Maria, 2022, Sorgen um die Altersversorgung in Deutschland. Determinanten und normative Implikationen, in: IW-Trends, 49. Jg., Nr. 1, S. 21-39
Zur Studie

(in cooperation with Wido Geis-Thöne)
Lebenslagen und Kompetenzentwicklung von Grundschulkindern
IW-Trends 2/2019

(in cooperation with Oliver Koppel)
Akademikerberufe – Nicht nur die Nachfrage bestimmt den Preis
IW-Kurzbericht 66/2018

Expertises

(in cooperation with Christina Anger, Oliver Koppel, Axel Plünnecke, Enno Röben)
MINT-Fruhjahrsreport 2019 – MINT und Innovationen – Erfolge und Handlungsbedarfe
Gutachten für BDA, BDI, Mint Zukunft schaffen und Gesamtmetall, 2019

(in cooperation with Christina Anger, Oliver Koppel, Axel Plünnecke, Enno Röben)
MINT-Herbstreport 2018 – MINT: Qualifizierung und Zuwanderung zur Stärkung von Forschung und Digitalisierung
Gutachten für BDA, BDI, Mint Zukunft schaffen und Gesamtmetall, 2018

(in cooperation with Christina Anger, Axel Plünnecke)
Bildungsmonitor 2018 – Teilhabe, Wohlstand und Digitalisierung
Gutachten für die Initiative Neue Soziale Marktwirtschaft, 2018

External Publications

Beznoska, Martin / Schüler, Ruth Maria, 2023, Tax expenditures in OECD countries. Findings from the Global Tax Expenditures Database, in: German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), Discussion Paper 7/2023, Berlin / Köln
Zur Studie

(in cooperation with Francesco Cinnirella)
Nation Building: The Role of Central Education Spending
Explorations in Economic History, Vol. 67, 2018, pp. 18–39

Education Economics from a Historical Perspective
ifo Beiträge zur Wirtschaftsforschung 78, 2018

Educational inputs and economic development in end-of-nineteenth-century Prussia
Ifo Working Paper, No. 227, 2016

Centralized Monitoring, Resistance, and Reform Outcomes: Evidence from School Inspections in Prussia
Ifo Working Paper, No. 223, 2016

(in cooperation with Francesco Cinnirella)
The Cost of Decentralization: Linguistic Polarization and the Provision of Education
CESifo Working Paper, No. 5894, 2016

More from Dr. Ruth Maria Schüler

Read study
An Empirical Study of Popular Aversion to Reforms
IW-Trends No. 4 13. November 2023

Changing Germany's Statutory Pension Insurance: An Empirical Study of Popular Aversion to Reforms

Matthias Diermeier / Ruth Maria Schüler

The demographic transition is putting the German statutory pension insurance system under enormous pressure to reform. Despite widespread concern, no reform of the adjustment mechanisms incorporated into the pension system meets with the approval of a majority of the population.

IW

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The Importance of Awareness of the Old-age Pension System for Retirement Planning in Germany
IW-Trends No. 2 30. June 2023

The Importance of Awareness of the Old-age Pension System for Retirement Planning in Germany

Ruth Maria Schüler

People in Germany have a relatively accurate knowledge of the main details of the German pension system.

IW

Read study
How Couples Retire in Germany
IW-Trends No. 1 13. April 2023

How Couples Retire in Germany

Ruth Schüler

For the statutory pension scheme to be financed sustainably on its current pay-as-you-go basis, as many people as possible need to stay at work until the standard retirement age.

IW

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External Publication
Findings from the Global Tax Expenditures Database
External Publication 15. March 2023

Tax expenditures in OECD countries: Findings from the Global Tax Expenditures Database

Beznoska, Martin / Christian von Haldenwang / Ruth Maria Schüler in IDOS (Hrsg.) Discussion Paper

The Global Tax Expenditures Database (https://GTED.net/) collects national reports on tax expenditures for 101 countries for the period from 1990 to the present. Based on these data, the development of tax expenditures in the 38 OECD countries between 1999 and today is examined.

IW

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The Rise and Fall of Industrial Cities on Both Sides of the Atlantic
IW-Kurzbericht No. 16 2. March 2023

The Rise and Fall of Industrial Cities on Both Sides of the Atlantic

Ruth Maria Schüler / Matthias Diermeier

Buffalo (New York) and Dortmund (North Rhine Westphalia) as well as Akron (Ohio) and Chemnitz (Saxony) are twin cities that share the history of deindustrialization. At the same time, they experienced rapid population growth and a globalization shock in the middle and end (East Germany) of the twentieth century. The structural change in the Rust Belt was accompanied by economic upheavals, which is still reflected in today’s reluctance for electoral participation. In this respect, social security and regional policy have had a stabilizing effect in Germany.

IW

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Tax concessions in OECD countries
IW-Report No. 34 13. June 2022

Tax concessions in OECD countries

Martin Beznoska / Christian von Haldenwang / Ruth Maria Schüler

The Global Tax Expenditures Database (https://gted.net/) collects national reports on tax expenditures for 101 countries for the period from 1990 to the present.

IW

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Determinants and Normative Implications
IW-Trends No. 1 9. March 2022

Pension Concerns in Germany: Determinants and Normative Implications

Ruth Maria Schüler

The level of statutory pensions for future generations is set to decline systematically. If future retirees are to maintain their standard of living, they will therefore need to supplement their statutory benefits with private and occupational pensions – a change already initiated with the pension reforms of the early 2000s.

IW

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Conversations and Traditional Media Lead the Way
IW-Report No. 2 15. January 2021

Political Information Behavior: Conversations and Traditional Media Lead the Way

Ruth Maria Schüler / Judith Niehues / Matthias Diermeier

How Germans inform themselves about political events: Personal conversation and use of traditional media come first.

IW

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Are Wages in Germany Responsive to Skilled Labor Shortages?
IW-Trends No. 4 6. January 2021

Are Wages in Germany Responsive to Skilled Labor Shortages?

Alexander Burstedde / Ruth Maria Schüler

The demographic transition is confronting Germany with a growing shortage of skilled workers. In a simple, static labor market model, wages in occupations where the demand for labor is high should rise at an above-average rate to restore market equilibrium.

IW

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Online Petitions as an Indicator of Current Polarization Tendencies
IW-Report No. 47 14. September 2020

Online Petitions as an Indicator of Current Polarization Tendencies

Armin Mertens / Ruth Maria Schüler

The COVID-19 measures of the federal and state governments have at times massively affected public life in Germany. The ban on contact has temporarily restricted the freedom to pursue a profession, the freedom of trade, compulsory education and religious freedom.

IW

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