Dear all, we kindly invite you to our next Economic Theory & Policy talk on Mon, 09th of March, 2026, 4:00 PM - TU Wien, Sem.R. DA green 04 (Freihaus Building, 4th floor, green area) "Unequal life span and redistribution" Fabian Kindermann (University of Regensburg) (joint with Sebastian Kunz) Inequality in life expectancy across individuals is large, and it shows a strong correlation with income. But does this critical dimension of inequality, extending beyond income and wealth, call for additional fiscal redistribution? In this paper, we explore how systematic differences in life expectancy and health influence optimal fiscal redistribution. We propose a parsimonious modeling framework that allows us to immediately point to the mechanisms that shape the optimal fiscal tax and transfer system when individuals differ in their life expectancy. Theoretically, we demonstrate that heterogeneity in life expectancy alone prompts a utilitarian government to redistribute from individuals with shorter to those with longer life expectancy. However, if we consider that health status may also impact on the ability to enjoy late life consumption, this redistribution can be reversed. We then develop and calibrate a quantitative life-cycle model with heterogeneous agents that differ in income and health to study optimal fiscal redistribution through the pension system. Further events and details: https://www.tuwien.at/en/mg/econ/events Best, Julia Julia Hutter TU Wien Institute of Statistics and Mathematical Methods in Economics Research Group Economics Phone: +43 1 58801 10531 Mail: julia.hutter@tuwien.ac.at<mailto:julia.hutter@tuwien.ac.at> https://econ.tuwien.ac.at/