IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/iae/iaewps/wp2007n24.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Retirement in Australia: A Closer Look at the Financial Incentives

Author

Listed:
  • Diana Warren

    (Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne)

  • Umut Oguzoglu

    (Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne)

Abstract

In Australia, labour force participation among older people, particularly men over the age of 55, has been declining over the last 30 years. Previous research has found that in many OECD countries, the retirement income system actually provides incentives for older workers to retire early rather than remain in the work force. We use data from the first five waves of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey to identify any financial incentives present in the Australian retirement income system. Following Gruber & Wise (2004), we model retirement behaviour where individuals retire in the period that the present value of their lifetime retirement income is maximised. We also utilise an option value model that considers the trade-off between utility drawn from leisure and utility drawn from labour income. Our findings suggest that for men the Australian retirement system provides incentives to retire early, while for women financial incentives are less significant, as the factors that influence women’s retirement behaviour are more commonly found to be family related, rather than financial incentives.

Suggested Citation

  • Diana Warren & Umut Oguzoglu, 2007. "Retirement in Australia: A Closer Look at the Financial Incentives," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2007n24, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    • Handle: RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2007n24
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/downloads/working_paper_series/wp2007n24.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Woodland, A D, 1987. "Determinants of the Labour Force Status of the Aged," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 63(181), pages 97-114, June.
    2. Wise, David A., 1985. "Pensions, Labor, and Individual Choice," National Bureau of Economic Research Books, University of Chicago Press, number 9780226902937, December.
    3. James H. Stock & David A. Wise, 1990. "The Pension Inducement to Retire: An Option Value Analysis," NBER Chapters, in: Issues in the Economics of Aging, pages 205-230, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Lixin Cai & Guyonne Kalb, 2007. "Health status and labour force status of older working-age Australian men," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 10(4), pages 227-252.
    5. Gary S. Fields & Olivia S. Mitchell, 1984. "Economic Determinants of the Optimal Retirement Age: An Empirical Investigation," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 19(2), pages 245-262.
    6. Jerry A. Hausman & David A. Wise, 1985. "Social Security, Health Status, and Retirement," NBER Chapters, in: Pensions, Labor, and Individual Choice, pages 159-192, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Nicole Watson & Mark Wooden, 2004. "The HILDA Survey Four Years On," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 37(3), pages 343-349, September.
    8. Olivia S. Mitchell & John Piggott, "undated". "Developments in Retirement Provision: Global Trends and Lessons from Australia and the US," Pension Research Council Working Papers 2000-2, Wharton School Pension Research Council, University of Pennsylvania.
    9. Jonathan Gruber & David A. Wise, 2004. "Social Security Programs and Retirement around the World: Micro-Estimation," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number grub04-1, March.
    10. Atkinson & Creedy, J., 1996. "The choice of Early Retirement Age and the Australian Superannuation System," Department of Economics - Working Papers Series 503, The University of Melbourne.
    11. Glenn T. Sueyoshi, 1989. "Social Security and the Determinants of Full and Partial Retirement: A Competing Risks Analysis," NBER Working Papers 3113, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Jeff Borland, 2005. "Transitions to Retirement: A Review," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2005n03, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    13. Richard Blundell & Costas Meghir & Sarah Smith, 2002. "Pension Incentives and the Pattern of Early Retirement," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(478), pages 153-170, March.
    14. Bateman, Hazel & Piggott, John, 2001. "The Australian Approach to Retirement Income Provision," Discussion Paper 11, Center for Intergenerational Studies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    15. David A. Wise, 1990. "Issues in the Economics of Aging," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number wise90-1, March.
    16. David A. Wise, 1985. "Pensions, Labor, and Individual Choice," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number wise85-1, March.
    17. A. D. Woodland, 1987. "Determinants of the Labour Force Status of the Aged," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 63(2), pages 97-114, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Barbara Broadway & John P. Haisken-DeNew, 2014. "The Importance of Economic Expectations for Retirement Entry," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2014n28, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    2. Deborah A. Cobb‐Clark & Lihini De Silva, 2021. "Participation, Unemployment, and Wages," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 54(4), pages 482-493, December.
    3. Jennifer Poehl & Bruce Cunningham, 2011. "Labour Market Engagement of Mature-Age Workers," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 14(3), pages 237-264.
    4. Michael Littlewood, 2010. "Pre-funding a government's future financial obligations - the New Zealand Superannuation case study," New Zealand Economic Papers, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(1), pages 91-111.
    5. Diana Warren, 2013. "Retirement Decisions of Couples: The Impact of Spousal Characteristics and Preferences on the Timing of Retirement," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2013n41, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    6. Barbara Broadway & John P. de New, 2021. "The Importance of Economic Expectations for Retirement Entry," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 67(1), pages 37-60, March.
    7. John Rodwell & Thomas Hendry & Dianne Johnson, 2022. "A Parsimonious Taxonomy of The Newly Retired: Spousal and Disability Combinations Shape Part or Complete Retirement," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-13, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Randall K. Filer & Marjorie Honig, 2005. "Endogenous Pensions and Retirement Behavior," Economics Working Paper Archive at Hunter College 410, Hunter College Department of Economics.
    2. Diana Warren, 2008. "Retirement Expectations and Labour Force Transitions: The Experience of the Baby Boomer Generation," Melbourne Institute Working Paper Series wp2008n24, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
    3. Coile Courtney, 2004. "Retirement Incentives and Couples' Retirement Decisions," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 4(1), pages 1-30, July.
    4. Courtney Coile & Jonathan Gruber, 2007. "Fiscal Effects of Social Security Reform in the United States," NBER Chapters, in: Social Security Programs and Retirement around the World: Fiscal Implications of Reform, pages 503-532, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Monika Bütler & Olivia Huguenin & Federica Teppa, 2005. "Why Forcing People to Save for Retirement May Backfire," University of St. Gallen Department of Economics working paper series 2005 2005-09, Department of Economics, University of St. Gallen.
    6. Monika Bütler & Olivia Huguenin & Federica Teppa, 2005. "Why Forcing People to Save Retirement May Backfire," Cahiers de Recherches Economiques du Département d'économie 05.05, Université de Lausanne, Faculté des HEC, Département d’économie.
    7. Ale?Ahcan & Saso Polanec, 2008. "Social Security and Retirement during Transition:Microeconometric Evidence from Slovenia," LICOS Discussion Papers 22108, LICOS - Centre for Institutions and Economic Performance, KU Leuven.
    8. Liebman, Jeffrey B. & Luttmer, Erzo F.P. & Seif, David G., 2009. "Labor supply responses to marginal Social Security benefits: Evidence from discontinuities," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(11-12), pages 1208-1223, December.
    9. Robin L. Lumsdaine & David A. Wise, 1994. "Aging and Labor Force Participation: A Review of Trends and Explanations," NBER Chapters, in: Aging in the United States and Japan: Economic Trends, pages 7-42, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Samwick, Andrew A., 1998. "New evidence on pensions, social security, and the timing of retirement," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(2), pages 207-236, November.
    11. Courtney Coile & Jonathan Gruber, 2004. "The Effect of Social Security on Retirement in the United States," NBER Chapters, in: Social Security Programs and Retirement around the World: Micro-Estimation, pages 691-730, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Daniel Hallberg & Matias Eklöf, 2010. "Do buy‐outs of older workers matter?," International Journal of Manpower, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 31(3), pages 337-359, June.
    13. Karakaya, Güngör, 2008. "Early cessation of activity in the labour market: impact of supply and demand factors," MPRA Paper 13390, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Stock, James H & Wise, David A, 1990. "Pensions, the Option Value of Work, and Retirement," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 58(5), pages 1151-1180, September.
    15. Rob Euwals & Daniel Vuuren & Ronald Wolthoff, 2010. "Early Retirement Behaviour in the Netherlands: Evidence From a Policy Reform," De Economist, Springer, vol. 158(3), pages 209-236, September.
    16. Bütler, Monika & Huguenin, Olivia & Teppa, Federica, 2004. "What Triggers Early Retirement? Results from Swiss Pension Funds," CEPR Discussion Papers 4394, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    17. Alan L. Gustman & Olivia S. Mitchell & Thomas L. Steinmeier, 1993. "The Role of Pensions in the Labor Market," NBER Working Papers 4295, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Dirk Jenter & Katharina Lewellen, 2015. "CEO Preferences and Acquisitions," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 70(6), pages 2813-2852, December.
    19. Sašo Polanec & Aleš Ahčan & Miroslav Verbič, 2013. "Retirement decisions in transition: microeconometric evidence from Slovenia," Post-Communist Economies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 99-118, March.
    20. Knut Røed & Fredrik Haugen, 2003. "Early Retirement and Economic Incentives: Evidence from a Quasi‐natural Experiment," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 17(2), pages 203-228, June.

    More about this item

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:iae:iaewps:wp2007n24. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sheri Carnegie (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/mimelau.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.