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Social Security and Labor Supply Incentives

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  • Roger H. Gordon

Abstract

Many provisions of the Social Security Program distort an individual's labor supply incentives. In particular, the payroll tax, the earnings test, the offsetting actuarial adjustment, and the dependence of the size of future benefits on the level of current earnings all affect the net return to extra work. The purpose of this paper is to estimate the size of the net tax rate on labor income in a variety of circumstances, taking into account all these provisions, as well as the personal income tax. We find that the Social Security Program on net in the past has provided a large subsidy to labor supply, which for many people effectively offset the personal income tax. This subsidy rate, however, has been declining steadily over time.

Suggested Citation

  • Roger H. Gordon, 1982. "Social Security and Labor Supply Incentives," NBER Working Papers 0986, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:0986
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    1. Burkhauser, Richard V & Turner, John A, 1978. "A Time-Series Analysis on Social Security and Its Effect on the Market Work of Men at Younger Ages," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 86(4), pages 701-715, August.
    2. Alan S. Blinder & Roger H. Gordon & Donald E. Wise, 1980. "Reconsidering the Work Disincentive Effects of Social Security," NBER Working Papers 0562, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Alan L. Gustman & Thomas L. Steinmeier, 1983. "Social Security Reform and Labor Supply," NBER Working Papers 1212, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Louis Kaplow, 2014. "Government Policy and Labor Supply with Myopic or Targeted Savings Decisions," NBER Chapters, in: Tax Policy and the Economy, Volume 29, pages 159-193, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Barro, Robert J & Sahasakul, Chaipat, 1986. "Average Marginal Tax Rates from Social Security and the Individual Income Tax," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 59(4), pages 555-566, October.
    4. Feldstein, Martin & Liebman, Jeffrey B., 2002. "Social security," Handbook of Public Economics, in: A. J. Auerbach & M. Feldstein (ed.), Handbook of Public Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 32, pages 2245-2324, Elsevier.
    5. Alan J. Auerbach & Laurence J. Kotlikoff, 1985. "The Efficiency Gains from Social Security Benefit - Tax Linkage," NBER Working Papers 1645, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Michael J. Boskin & Laurence J. Kotlikoff, 1985. "Pubic Debt and U.S. Saving: A New Test of the Neutrality Hypothesis," NBER Working Papers 1646, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Sandro Gronchi & Sergio Nisticò, 2008. "Theoretical Foundations Of Pay‐As‐You‐Go Defined‐Contribution Pension Schemes," Metroeconomica, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(2), pages 131-159, May.
    8. Brian S. Armour & M. Melinda Pitts, 2002. "Incorporating insurance rate estimates and differential mortality into net marginal Social Security tax rate calculations," FRB Atlanta Working Paper 2002-29, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
    9. Edgar K. Browning, 1985. "The Marginal Social Security Tax on Labor," Public Finance Review, , vol. 13(3), pages 227-251, July.
    10. Richard V. Burkhauser & John A. Turner, 1985. "Is the Social Security Payroll Tax a Tax?," Public Finance Review, , vol. 13(3), pages 253-267, July.
    11. Hee‐Seung Yang, 2018. "Social Security Dependent Benefits, Net Payroll Tax, And Married Women'S Labor Supply," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 36(2), pages 381-393, April.
    12. Louis Kaplow, 2006. "Myopia and the Effects of Social Security and Capital Taxation on Labor Supply," NBER Working Papers 12452, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    13. David T. Ellwood, 1985. "Pensions and the Labor Market: A Starting Point (The Mouse Can Roar)," NBER Chapters, in: Pensions, Labor, and Individual Choice, pages 19-54, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    14. Feldstein, Martin & Samwick, Andrew A., 1992. "Social Security Rules and Marginal Tax Rates," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 45(1), pages 1-22, March.

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