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Abandoning the Nest Egg? 401(k) Plans and Inadequate Pension Saving

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  • Andrew A. Samwick
  • Jonathan Skinner

Abstract

There has been rapid growth in `self-directed' pension programs such as the 401(k) plan. Because such plans are voluntary, there is concern that many workers neglecting to contribute will reach retirement with inadequate pension saving. First, we show that people who are eligible for 401(k)s, do not contribute to them, and have no alternative pension plan make up only 2-4 percent of the workforce. By contrast, nearly 50 percent of workers have no pension coverage at all. Imposing mandatory 3 percent or 5 percent contribution rates will improve retirement prospects among the lowest decile of pension- eligible, but would have small aggregate effects. Finally, restricting 401(k) withdrawals when the worker changes jobs could have a larger impact on retirement pension security.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew A. Samwick & Jonathan Skinner, 1996. "Abandoning the Nest Egg? 401(k) Plans and Inadequate Pension Saving," NBER Working Papers 5568, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:5568
    Note: AG PE
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Arthur B. Kennickell & Janice Shack-Marquez, 1992. "Changes in family finances from 1983 to 1989: evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances," Federal Reserve Bulletin, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.), issue Jan, pages 1-18.
    2. Douglas L. Kruse, 1991. "Pension Substitution in the 1980s: Why the Shift Toward Defined Contribution Pension Plans?," NBER Working Papers 3882, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Murphy, Kevin M & Welch, Finis, 1990. "Empirical Age-Earnings Profiles," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 8(2), pages 202-229, April.
    4. Robert H. Topel & Michael P. Ward, 1992. "Job Mobility and the Careers of Young Men," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 107(2), pages 439-479.
    5. Arthur B. Kennickell & Janice Shack-Marquez, 1992. "Errata - changes in family finances from 1983 to 1989: evidence from the Survey of Consumer Finances. (Bulletin, January 1992)," Federal Reserve Bulletin, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.), issue Apr, pages 274-274.
    6. Siegel, Jeremy J., 1992. "The real rate of interest from 1800-1990 : A study of the U.S. and the U.K," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 227-252, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mark Schreiner, 2001. "Measuring Savings," Microeconomics 0108004, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 27 Dec 2001.
    2. Andrew A. Samwick & Jonathan Skinner, 1998. "How Will Defined Contribution Pension Plans Affect Retirement Income?," NBER Working Papers 6645, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Engelhardt, Gary V., 2003. "Reasons for job change and the disposition of pre-retirement lump-sum pension distributions," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 81(3), pages 333-339, December.
    4. Engelhardt, Gary V., 2002. "Pre-Retirement Lump-Sum Pension Distributions and Retirement Income Security: Evidence From the Health and Retirement Study," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 55(4), pages 665-685, December.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J32 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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