Most studies using microsimulation techniques have considered the effect of
potential reforms on the income distribution. However, it has become increasingly recognized,
both at the academic and political level, that focusing purely on income provides
a limited picture of social progress. We illustrate how ex-ante policy evaluation can be
performed in terms of richer concepts of individual well-being, such as subjective life satisfaction
and equivalent incomes. Our analysis makes use of EUROMOD, the EU-wide
tax-benefit microsimulation model, along with 2013 EU-SILC data for Sweden, which for
the first time provides information on life satisfaction. Our results show that the effect of
potential reforms varies widely depending on the well-being concept used in the evaluation.
We discuss the normative questions that are raised by this finding

• Putting measures of individual well-being to use for ex-ante policy evaluation