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How Much Are Public School Teachers Willing to Pay for Their Retirement Benefits? Comment

Author

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  • Shawn Ni
  • Michael Podgursky
  • Fangda Wang

Abstract

In a widely cited study, Fitzpatrick (2015) found that more than one quarter of Illinois teachers were unwilling to pay 19 cents for pension enhancements worth one dollar in present value. We revisit this finding by tracking the same cohort of teachers to retirement, permitting exact measurement of service years and the annuity received. The vast majority of teachers purchased the upgrade. Among those who did not, the net benefit of the upgrade is negative given their retirement timing. The complex relationship between the timing of retirement and potential gain in pension wealth makes drawing inferences about teachers' willingness to pay for this benefit difficult.

Suggested Citation

  • Shawn Ni & Michael Podgursky & Fangda Wang, 2022. "How Much Are Public School Teachers Willing to Pay for Their Retirement Benefits? Comment," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 14(3), pages 478-493, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejpol:v:14:y:2022:i:3:p:478-93
    DOI: 10.1257/pol.20200763
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Maria Donovan Fitzpatrick, 2015. "How Much Are Public School Teachers Willing to Pay for Their Retirement Benefits?," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 7(4), pages 165-188, November.
    2. Maria D. Fitzpatrick & Michael F. Lovenheim, 2014. "Early Retirement Incentives and Student Achievement," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 6(3), pages 120-154, August.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • J32 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions
    • J45 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Public Sector Labor Markets

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