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Distributional Effects of Social Security: the Notch Issue Revisited

Author

Listed:
  • James E. Duggan

    (Office of Economic Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury)

  • Robert Gillingham

    (Office of Economic Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury)

  • John S. Greenlees

    (Office of Prices and Living Conditions, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Abstract

This article provides the first empirical estimates of the effects of the Social Security Abstract benefit notch on lifetime benefits based on actual Social Security records, the 1988 Continuous Work History Sample. The authors'results show that the notch occurred in the context of a maturing social insurance system in which all early cohorts have received very high rates of return. As a group, the 1917-1921 notch cohorts could expect to receive roughly $500 billion (in 1988 dollars) more than if they were paid the same rate of return on their contnbutions that the Social Security system earns on its investedfunds.

Suggested Citation

  • James E. Duggan & Robert Gillingham & John S. Greenlees, 1996. "Distributional Effects of Social Security: the Notch Issue Revisited," Public Finance Review, , vol. 24(3), pages 349-370, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:pubfin:v:24:y:1996:i:3:p:349-370
    DOI: 10.1177/109114219602400303
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. James E. Duggan & Robert Gillingham & John S. Greenlees, 1993. "Returns Paid To Early Social Security Cohorts," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 11(4), pages 1-13, October.
    2. Krueger, Alan B & Pischke, Jorn-Steffen, 1992. "The Effect of Social Security on Labor Supply: A Cohort Analysis of the Notch Generation," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 10(4), pages 412-437, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Matthias Doepke, "undated". "Inflation as a Redistribution Shock: Effects on Aggregates and Welfare," UCLA Economics Online Papers 412, UCLA Department of Economics.
    2. Lovell, Michael C., 2009. "Social Security's Five OASI Inflation Indexing Problems," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy, vol. 3, pages 1-41.
    3. Matthias Doepke & Martin Schneider, 2005. "Real effects of inflation through the redistribution of nominal wealth," Staff Report 355, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.

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