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Alternative Retirement Income Arrangements and Lifetime Income Inequality: Lessons From Australia

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  • M. Atkinson
  • John Creedy
  • David Knox

Abstract

This paper examines the implications for lifetime income equality of alternative retirement income arrangements, using the Australian scheme as a benchmark. In Australia, the pay-as-you go financed age pension is means-tested and thereby provides a contrast with those countries where part or all of a basic pension is paid to all aged persons. Many governments are considering an increase in the level of means-testing. The results show that the introduction of a universal pension coupled with significant changes and simplifications to the structure of taxation and superannuation have little effect on the redistributive impact of the tax structure in a life cycle framework. The presence of means-testing appears to have no significant effect on life-time inequality. The results suggest that it is possible to eliminate complexities from the system providing retirement benefits without having any deleterious effect on equity. Copyright Kluwer Academic Publishers 1999

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  • M. Atkinson & John Creedy & David Knox, 1999. "Alternative Retirement Income Arrangements and Lifetime Income Inequality: Lessons From Australia," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 6(1), pages 103-117, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:itaxpf:v:6:y:1999:i:1:p:103-117
    DOI: 10.1023/A:1008604121778
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Creedy, 1992. "Income, Inequality And The Life Cycle," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 114.
    2. Powers, Elizabeth T., 1998. "Does means-testing welfare discourage saving? evidence from a change in AFDC policy in the United States," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 33-53, April.
    3. John Creedy & Richard Disney, 1990. "Pension Schemes and Incentives: Case Studies from Australia and the United Kingdom," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 23(1), pages 23-32, March.
    4. Atkinson, M E & Creedy, John, 1996. "Modelling Optimal Retirement Decisions in Australia," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(66), pages 39-59, June.
    5. M. E. Atkinson & John Creedy & D. M. Knox, 1995. "Planning Retirement Income in Australia: Routes through the Maze," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 28(4), pages 15-28, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Deborah A. Cobb‐Clark & Vincent A. Hildebrand, 2011. "Portfolio Allocation In The Face Of A Means‐Tested Public Pension," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 57(3), pages 536-560, September.
    2. Aziz, Omar & Gemmell, Norman & Laws, Athene, 2013. "The Distribution of Income and Fiscal Incidence by Age and Gender: Some Evidence from New Zealand," Working Paper Series 18785, Victoria University of Wellington, Chair in Public Finance.
    3. Aziz, Omar & Gemmell, Norman & Laws, Athene, 2013. "The Distribution of Income and Fiscal Incidence by Age and Gender: Some Evidence from New Zealand," Working Paper Series 2852, Victoria University of Wellington, Chair in Public Finance.

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