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Underreported Earnings and Old-Age Pension: An Elementary Model

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  • Andras Simonovits

    (Institute of Economics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the interconnections of underreported earnings, savings and oldage pension with the help of a most simple, elementary model. The workers can be divided into three groups: 1) well-paid who report their full earnings, 2) well-paid who report only the minimum earnings (evaders) and 3) the poorly paid. We assume that the evaders save a significant part of their hidden earnings for their old age. We compare three pension systems of equal size: (i) the proportional, (ii) the proportional plus basic pension and (iii) the proportional with means testing. Our major result is as follows: if the evaders can be recognized and excluded, then the means-tested system is superior to the basic system.

Suggested Citation

  • Andras Simonovits, 2008. "Underreported Earnings and Old-Age Pension: An Elementary Model," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 0805, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    • Handle: RePEc:has:discpr:0805
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Feldstein, Martin S, 1987. "Should Social Security Benefits Be Means Tested?," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 95(3), pages 468-484, June.
    2. Mirco, Tonin, 2006. "The Effects of the Minimum Wage in an Economy with Tax Evasion," Seminar Papers 747, Stockholm University, Institute for International Economic Studies.
    3. Peter A. Diamond, 2005. "Taxation, Incomplete Markets, and Social Security," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262541823, December.
    4. Kertesi, Gabor & Köllő, János, 2003. "Fighting “Low Equilibria” by Doubling the Minimum Wage? Hungary’s Experiment," IZA Discussion Papers 970, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Dr Justin van de Ven & Dr Martin Weale, 2006. "Means Testing Retirement Benefits: fostering equity or discouraging savings?," National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) Discussion Papers 283, National Institute of Economic and Social Research.
    6. J. A. Mirrlees, 1971. "An Exploration in the Theory of Optimum Income Taxation," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 38(2), pages 175-208.
    7. Clark, Tom & Emmerson, Carl, 2003. "Privatising provision and attacking poverty? The direction of UK Pension Policy under new Labour," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(1), pages 67-89, March.
    8. Richard Disney, 2004. "Are contributions to public pension programmes a tax on employment? [‘Welfare state and competitiveness’]," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 19(39), pages 268-311.
    9. James Sefton & Justin vandeVen & Martin Weale, 2008. "Means Testing Retirement Benefits: fostering equity or discouraging savings?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 118(528), pages 556-590, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Andras Simonovits, 2009. "Hungarian Pension System and its Reform," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 0908, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.
    2. Andras Simonovits, 2009. "Underreported earnings and age-specific income redistribution in post-socialist economies," CERS-IE WORKING PAPERS 0927, Institute of Economics, Centre for Economic and Regional Studies.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    reporting earnings; proportional pensions; basic pensions; meansassisted pensions;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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