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Actuarially accurate benefit reductions for early retirement

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  • Martin Werding

Abstract

Those who take early retirement receive lower retirement benefits. There are different ways of setting actuarially correct reductions, depending on the in-tended goals. The relatively low current reductions in the German system are designed to be revenue neutral for the pension system. This article shows that there is only one concept of revenue neutrality and that the current reductions are too low. The decision to take early retirement can only be revenue neutral for the system if the reductions are adjusted to the correct actuarial amount.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Werding, 2007. "Actuarially accurate benefit reductions for early retirement," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 60(16), pages 19-32, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ifosdt:v:60:y:2007:i:16:p:19-32
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    Cited by:

    1. Martin Hering, 2008. "Grand Coalitions for Unpopular Reforms: Building a Cross-Party Consensus to Raise the Retirement Age," Social and Economic Dimensions of an Aging Population Research Papers 233, McMaster University.
    2. Kluth, Sebastian, 2014. "Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Role of Actuarial Reduction Rates in Individual Retirement Planning in Germany," MEA discussion paper series 201409, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
    3. Gasche, Martin, 2012. "Alte und neue Wege zur Berechnung der Rentenabschläge," MEA discussion paper series 201201, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
    4. Kallweit Manuel, 2009. "Rentenreform und Rentenzugangsentscheidung – Eine numerische Gleichgewichtsanalyse / Pension Reform and Endogenous Retirement – a Computable General Equilibrium Analysis," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 229(4), pages 426-449, August.
    5. Robert Fenge & Jochen Pimpertz & Tim Köhler-Rama & Reiner Holznagel & Felix Welti & Martin Werding & Uwe Fachinger & Karl-Heinz Paqué, 2019. "Grand Coalition Pension Package: Secure and Fair or Unsound and Unaffordable?," ifo Schnelldienst, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 72(02), pages 05-31, January.
    6. Kluth, Sebastian, 2014. "Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Role of Actuarial Reduction Rates in Individual Retirement Planning in Germany," VfS Annual Conference 2014 (Hamburg): Evidence-based Economic Policy 100413, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    7. Freudenberg, Christoph & Laub, Natalie & Sutor, Tim, 2018. "Pension decrement rates across Europe – Are they too low?," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 12(C), pages 35-45.
    8. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Härtl, Klaus & Leite, Duarte N., 2018. "Earnings test, non-actuarial adjustments and flexible retirement," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 78-83.
    9. Johann K. Brunner & Bernd Hoffmann, 2010. "Versicherungsmathematisch korrekte Pensionsabschläge," Economics working papers 2010-13, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
    10. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Bucher-Koenen, Tabea & Kluth, Sebastian & Haupt, Marlene & Goll, Nicolas, 2015. "Vor- und Nachteile höherer Flexibilität als Instrument zur Erhöhung der Beschäftigung Älterer," MEA discussion paper series 201506, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
    11. Werding, Martin & Läpple, Benjamin, 2022. "Finanzrisiken für den Bund durch die demographische Entwicklung in der Sozialversicherung: Reformszenarien," FiFo Reports - FiFo-Berichte 31, University of Cologne, FiFo Institute for Public Economics.
    12. Kühntopf, Stephan & Tivig, Thusnelda, 2008. "Early retirement in Germany: Loss of income and lifetime?," Thuenen-Series of Applied Economic Theory 85, University of Rostock, Institute of Economics.
    13. Börsch-Supan, A. & Härtl, K. & Leite, D.N., 2016. "Social Security and Public Insurance," Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, in: Piggott, John & Woodland, Alan (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 781-863, Elsevier.
    14. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Härtl, Klaus & Leite, Duarte & Ludwig, Alexander, 2018. "Endogenous retirement behavior of heterogeneous households under pension reforms," SAFE Working Paper Series 221, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.
    15. Bucher-Koenen, Tabea & Wilke, Christina Benita, 2008. "Zur Anhebung der Altersgrenzen : Eine Simulation der langfristigen Auswirkungen auf die gesetzliche Rentenversicherung bei unterschiedlichem Renteneintrittsverhalten," Papers 08-44, Sonderforschungsbreich 504.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies

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