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The Optimal Mix Between Funded and Unfunded Pension Systems When People Care About Relative Consumption

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  • MARKUS KNELL

Abstract

The paper studies the optimal portfolio mix between funded and unfunded pension systems when people care about relative consumption. In pay-as-you-go systems with fixed contribution rates, pensions are tied to wages. This lowers the uncertainty of individuals' future relative position thereby increasing the attractiveness of unfunded systems. The paper shows analytically that the optimal share of funding decreases with the importance of relative standing. A calibrated version of the model suggests that the concern for relative standing has also a quantitatively important impact on the optimal share of funding. For reasonable assumptions it is typically around 20%. Copyright (c) The London School of Economics and Political Science 2010.

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File URL: http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1468-0335.2009.00797.x
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Bibliographic Info

Article provided by London School of Economics and Political Science in its journal Economica.

Volume (Year): 77 (2010)
Issue (Month): 308 (October)
Pages: 710-733

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Handle: RePEc:bla:econom:v:77:y:2010:i:308:p:710-733

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Cited by:
  1. Meijdam, A.C. & Ponds, E.H.M., 2013. "Optimal Degree Of Funding Of Public Sector Pension Plans," Discussion Paper 2013-011, Tilburg University, Center for Economic Research.
  2. Eduardo Fajnzylber, 2010. "Assessing Fiscal Costs and the Distribution of Pensions in Transitions to FDC and NDC Systems: A Retrospective Analysis for Chile," Working Papers wp_005, Adolfo Ibáñez University, School of Government.

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