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The Actuarial Balance Sheet for Pay-As-You-Go Finance: Solvency Indicators for Spain and Sweden

Author

Listed:
  • Maria del Carmen Boado-Penas
  • Salvador Valdés-Prieto
  • Carlos Vidal-Meliá

Abstract

This paper provides the first estimate of the actuarial balance of the Spanish contributory pension system for the old age contingency, based on official data. The novel entry in the balance sheet, named “Contribution Asset” or “Hidden Asset”, is at the centre of the theoretical discussion. A comparison between the official balance sheet for the Swedish national account system and our balance sheet for the Spanish system is also provided. The main finding is that the Spanish pension system has an insolvency rate of 31.4 %. The policy implication is that unless current legislation is reformed, Spanish taxpayers (the plan sponsor) should count on making transfers to the pension system with a present discounted value of 31.4 % of current liabilities. Moreover, a comparison of the consecutive balance sheets for 2001-06 shows that the degree of insolvency is growing over time, even though the cash-flow outcome has improved over the same period. Taking steps to reverse this trend and restore solvency is in the Spanish taxpayers' interest, and possibly also in the interest of those in the European Union who recognise that there is a chance that they may have to support the Spanish budget in the future.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria del Carmen Boado-Penas & Salvador Valdés-Prieto & Carlos Vidal-Meliá, 2008. "The Actuarial Balance Sheet for Pay-As-You-Go Finance: Solvency Indicators for Spain and Sweden," CESifo Working Paper Series 2182, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_2182
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Assar Lindbeck & Mats Persson, 2003. "The Gains from Pension Reform," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 41(1), pages 74-112, March.
    2. 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.
    3. Salvador Valdes‐Prieto, 2000. "The Financial Stability of Notional Account Pensions," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 102(3), pages 395-417, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Carlos Vidal-Meliá & Manuel Ventura-Marco & Juan Manuel Pérez-Salamero González, 2018. "Actuarial accounting for a notional defined contribution scheme combining retirement and longterm care benefits," Documentos de Trabajo del ICAE 2018-16, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales, Instituto Complutense de Análisis Económico.
    2. Metzger, Christoph, 2016. "Accounting of pay-as-you-go pension schemes using accrued-to-date liabilities: An example for Switzerland," FZG Discussion Papers 59, University of Freiburg, Research Center for Generational Contracts (FZG).
    3. Carlos Vidal-Meliá & Mar𨁤el Carmen Boado-Penas, 2013. "Compiling the actuarial balance for pay-as-you-go pension systems. Is it better to use the hidden asset or the contribution asset?," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(10), pages 1303-1320, April.
    4. Anne M. Garvey & Manuel Ventura-Marco & Carlos Vidal-Meliá, 2021. "Does the pension system’s income statement really matter? A proposal for an NDC scheme with disability and minimum pension benefits," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(1), pages 292-310, January.
    5. Juan Manuel Pérez-Salamero & Marta Regúlez Castillo & Carlos Vidal Meliá, 2016. "Análisis de la representatividad de la MCVL: el caso de las prestaciones del sistema público de pensiones," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 217(2), pages 67-130, June.
    6. Metzger, Christoph, 2016. "The German statutory pension scheme: Balance sheet, cross-sectional internal rates of return and implicit tax rates," FZG Discussion Papers 63, University of Freiburg, Research Center for Generational Contracts (FZG).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    retirement; pay-as-you-go system; accountancy; solvency; pensions; Spain;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • M49 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Other

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