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Social Security and Inequality over the Life Cycle

In: The Distributional Aspects of Social Security and Social Security Reform

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  • Angus S. Deaton
  • Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas
  • Christina Paxson

Abstract

This paper examines the consequences of social security reform for the inequality of consumption across individuals. The idea is that inequality is at least in part the result of individual risk in earnings or asset returns, the effects of which accumulate over time to increase inequality within groups of people as they age. Institutions such as social security, that share risk across individuals, will moderate the transmission of individual risk into inequality. We examine how different social security systems, with different degrees of risk sharing, affect consumption inequality. We do so within the framework of the permanent income hypothesis, and also using richer models of consumption that incorporate precautionary saving motives and borrowing restrictions. Our results indicate that systems in which there is less sharing of earnings risk such as systems of individual accounts produce higher consumption inequality both before and after retirement. However, differences across individuals in the rate of return on assets (including social security assets held in individual accounts) produce only modest additional effects on inequality.
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Suggested Citation

  • Angus S. Deaton & Pierre-Olivier Gourinchas & Christina Paxson, 2002. "Social Security and Inequality over the Life Cycle," NBER Chapters, in: The Distributional Aspects of Social Security and Social Security Reform, pages 115-148, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberch:9750
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Gustman, Alan L. & Steinmeier, Thomas L., 2001. "How effective is redistribution under the social security benefit formula?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(1), pages 1-28, October.
    2. James M. Poterba & David A. Wise, 1998. "Individual Financial Decisions in Retirement Saving Plans and the Provision of Resources for Retirement," NBER Chapters, in: Privatizing Social Security, pages 363-401, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

    1. Stefania Basiglio & Maria Cristina Rossi & Arthur van Soest, 2023. "Subjective Inheritance Expectations and Economic Outcomes," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 69(4), pages 1088-1113, December.
    2. Hanewald, Katja & Jia, Ruo & Liu, Zining, 2021. "Why is inequality higher among the old? Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    3. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/2091 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. Huggett, Mark & Ventura, Gustavo & Yaron, Amir, 2006. "Human capital and earnings distribution dynamics," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(2), pages 265-290, March.
    5. Ferreira, Sergio Guimarães, 2006. "Pension Reform in Brazil: Transitional Issues in a Model with Endogenous Labor Supply," Brazilian Review of Econometrics, Sociedade Brasileira de Econometria - SBE, vol. 26(1), May.
    6. Storesletten, Kjetil & Telmer, Christopher I. & Yaron, Amir, 2004. "Consumption and risk sharing over the life cycle," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 609-633, April.
    7. Jimeno, Juan F. & Rojas, Juan A. & Puente, Sergio, 2008. "Modelling the impact of aging on social security expenditures," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 25(2), pages 201-224, March.
    8. Simon Fan & Yu Pang & Pierre Pestieau, 2022. "Investment in children, social security, and intragenerational risk sharing," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(2), pages 286-315, April.
    9. Juan F. Jimeno, "undated". "Incentivos y desigualdad en el sistema español de pensiones contributivas de jubilación," Working Papers 2002-13, FEDEA.
    10. Peter Arno & Kyle Moore, 2016. "The "Natural" Interest Rate and Secular Stagnation," SCEPA working paper series. 2016-02, Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA), The New School.
    11. Basiglio, Stefania, 2018. "Essays on financial behaviour of households and firms," Other publications TiSEM c13423c5-8bf2-44a7-baa7-3, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    12. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/2091 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Jacques Le Cacheux & Vincent Touzé, 2002. "Les modèles d'équilibre général calculable à générations imbriquées. Enjeux, méthodes et résultats," Revue de l'OFCE, Presses de Sciences-Po, vol. 80(1), pages 87-113.
    14. Jorge Tovar & B. Urdinola, 2014. "Inequality in National Inter-Generational Transfers: Evidence from Colombia," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 20(2), pages 167-187, May.
    15. Thomas L. Hungerford, 2006. "The role of earnings and financial risk in distributional analyses of Social Security reform measures," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(2), pages 417-438.
    16. Falilou Fall, 2007. "Pension Reforms, Assets Returns and Wealth Distribution," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 85, pages 81-96.
    17. Storesletten, Kjetil & Violante, Giovanni & Heathcote, Jonathan, 2004. "The Cross-Sectional Implications of Rising Wage Inequality in the United States," CEPR Discussion Papers 4296, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    18. Jess Benhabib & Alberto Bisin, 2006. "The distribution of wealth and redistributive policies," Levine's Working Paper Archive 122247000000001162, David K. Levine.
    19. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/2091 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. Kaymak, Barış & Poschke, Markus, 2016. "The evolution of wealth inequality over half a century: The role of taxes, transfers and technology," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 1-25.
    21. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/2091 is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Michael M. Batty & Jesse Bricker & Joseph S. Briggs & Alice Henriques Volz & Elizabeth Ball Holmquist & Susan Hume McIntosh & Kevin B. Moore & Eric R. Nielsen & Sarah Reber & Molly Shatto & Kamila Som, 2019. "Introducing the Distributional Financial Accounts of the United States," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2019-017, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    23. Michael Batty & Jesse Bricker & Joseph Briggs & Sarah Friedman & Danielle Nemschoff & Eric Nielsen & Kamila Sommer & Alice Henriques Volz, 2021. "The Distributional Financial Accounts of the United States," NBER Chapters, in: Measuring Distribution and Mobility of Income and Wealth, pages 641-677, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    24. Ferreira, Sergio Guimarães, 2004. "Social Security Reforms under an Open Economy: The Brazilian Case," Revista Brasileira de Economia - RBE, EPGE Brazilian School of Economics and Finance - FGV EPGE (Brazil), vol. 58(3), July.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H2 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • H5 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies

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