IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ems/eureri/99472.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

The Occurrence and Impact of Pension Fund Discontinuity

Author

Listed:
  • Alserda, G.A.G.
  • Steenbeek, O.W.
  • van der Lecq, S.G.

Abstract

Collective pension arrangements tend to yield higher risk-adjusted pension benefits than individual plans due to intergenerational risk sharing and the lack of annuity conversion risk. These benefits pose the implicit assumption that the pension fund has an infinite horizon, while we observe that many pension funds discontinue. Using case studies of six discontinued pension funds, in combination with a simulation model, this paper analyses the occurrence and impact of pension fund discontinuity. Although discontinuity tends to increase the volatility of pension benefits, median benefits in most institutional settings increase after discontinuing the fund. We find that both the occurrence and impact of discontinuity depends strongly on the institutional setting of the pension fund. Stricter regulations, such as more conservative discount rates, increase the financial stability of the pension fund; however, they may reduce membership support through lower replacement rates. This poses a trade-off in the design of the pension system.

Suggested Citation

  • Alserda, G.A.G. & Steenbeek, O.W. & van der Lecq, S.G., 2017. "The Occurrence and Impact of Pension Fund Discontinuity," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2017-008-F&A, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    • Handle: RePEc:ems:eureri:99472
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://repub.eur.nl/pub/99472/ERS-2017-008-F-A.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Coen Teulings & Casper Vries, 2006. "Generational Accounting, Solidarity and Pension Losses," De Economist, Springer, vol. 154(1), pages 63-83, March.
    2. Binswanger, Johannes & Schunk, Daniel, 2012. "What is an adequate standard of living during Retirement?," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 11(2), pages 203-222, April.
    3. Chen, Damiaan H. J. & Beetsma, Roel M. W. J. & Ponds, Eduard H. M. & Romp, Ward E., 2016. "Intergenerational risk-sharing through funded pensions and public debt," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(2), pages 127-159, April.
    4. Roel M. W. J. Beetsma & A. Lans Bovenberg, 2009. "Pensions and Intergenerational Risk‐sharing in General Equilibrium," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 76(302), pages 364-386, April.
    5. Ed Westerhout, 2011. "Intergenerational Risk Sharing in Time-Consistent Funded Pension Schemes," CPB Discussion Paper 176, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    6. Gollier, Christian, 2008. "Intergenerational risk-sharing and risk-taking of a pension fund," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(5-6), pages 1463-1485, June.
    7. Cui, Jiajia & Jong, Frank De & Ponds, Eduard, 2011. "Intergenerational risk sharing within funded pension schemes," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 10(1), pages 1-29, January.
    8. Ponds, Eduard H. M. & Riel, Bart Van, 2009. "Sharing risk: the Netherlands' new approach to pensions," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(1), pages 91-105, January.
    9. Beetsma, Roel M.W.J. & Romp, Ward E. & Vos, Siert J., 2012. "Voluntary participation and intergenerational risk sharing in a funded pension system," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(6), pages 1310-1324.
    10. Brady, Peter J., 2010. "Measuring retirement resource adequacy," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 9(2), pages 235-262, April.
    11. Ponds, Eduard H. M., 2003. "Pension funds and value-based generational accounting," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 2(3), pages 295-325, November.
    12. Bikker, Jacob A. & De Dreu, Jan, 2009. "Operating costs of pension funds: the impact of scale, governance, and plan design," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 8(1), pages 63-89, January.
    13. Lans Bovenberg & Roel Mehlkopf, 2014. "Optimal Design of Funded Pension Schemes," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 6(1), pages 445-474, August.
    14. Jan Bonenkamp & Ed Westerhout, 2014. "Intergenerational Risk Sharing and Endogenous Labour Supply within Funded Pension Schemes," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 81(323), pages 566-592, July.
    15. Bovenberg, A.L. & Koijen, R.S.J. & Nijman, T.E. & Teulings, C.N., 2007. "Saving and investing over the life cycle and the role of collective pension funds," Other publications TiSEM 6eab1341-eda5-4f21-8c06-8, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    16. Ralph S. J. Koijen & Theo E. Nijman & Bas J. M. Werker, 2010. "When Can Life Cycle Investors Benefit from Time-Varying Bond Risk Premia?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(2), pages 741-780, February.
    17. Gosse A.G. Alserda & Jacob A. Bikker & Fieke S.G. Van Der Lecq, 2018. "X-efficiency and economies of scale in pension fund administration and investment," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(48), pages 5164-5188, October.
    18. Gosse A.G. Alserda & Jacob A. Bikker & Fieke S.G. Van Der Lecq, 2018. "X-efficiency and economies of scale in pension fund administration and investment," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(48), pages 5164-5188, October.
    19. Beetsma, R. & Romp, W., 2016. "Intergenerational Risk Sharing," Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, in: Piggott, John & Woodland, Alan (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 311-380, Elsevier.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Bégin, Jean-François, 2020. "Levelling the playing field: A VIX-linked structure for funded pension schemes," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 58-78.
    2. Romp, Ward & Beetsma, Roel, 2020. "Sustainability of pension systems with voluntary participation," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 125-140.
    3. Wang, Suxin & Lu, Yi & Sanders, Barbara, 2018. "Optimal investment strategies and intergenerational risk sharing for target benefit pension plans," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1-14.
    4. Beetsma, R. & Romp, W., 2016. "Intergenerational Risk Sharing," Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, in: Piggott, John & Woodland, Alan (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Population Aging, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 311-380, Elsevier.
    5. Chen, Damiaan H.J. & Beetsma, Roel M.W.J. & Broeders, Dirk W.G.A. & Pelsser, Antoon A.J., 2017. "Sustainability of participation in collective pension schemes: An option pricing approach," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 182-196.
    6. Boonen, Tim J. & De Waegenaere, Anja, 2017. "Intergenerational risk sharing in closing pension funds," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 20-30.
    7. Damiaan Chen & Roel Beetsma & Dirk Broeders, 2015. "Stability of participation in collective pension schemes: An option pricing approach," DNB Working Papers 484, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department.
    8. Jacob A. Bikker & Dirk W. G. A. Broeders & David A. Hollanders & Eduard H. M. Ponds, 2012. "Pension Funds’ Asset Allocation and Participant Age: A Test of the Life-Cycle Model," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 79(3), pages 595-618, September.
    9. Molenaar, R. & Ponds, E.H.M., 2011. "Risk Sharing and Individual Lifecycle Investing in Funded Collective Pensions," Other publications TiSEM b036a69d-317f-41c5-9581-f, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    10. Hoevenaars, J. & Ponds, E.H.M., 2008. "Valuation of intergenerational transfers in collective funded pension schemes," Other publications TiSEM 2c1afa01-df29-490e-bc52-8, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    11. Mehlkopf, R.J., 2011. "Risk sharing with the unborn," Other publications TiSEM fe8a8df6-455f-4624-af10-9, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    12. Marcel Lever & Ilja Boelaars & Ryanne Cox & Roel Mehlkopf, 2015. "The allocation of financial risks during the life cycle in individual and collective DC pension contracts," CPB Discussion Paper 317, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    13. Roel Beetsma & Ward Romp, 2013. "Participation Constraints in Pension Systems," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 13-149/VI, Tinbergen Institute.
    14. Chen, Damiaan H. J. & Beetsma, Roel M. W. J. & Ponds, Eduard H. M. & Romp, Ward E., 2016. "Intergenerational risk-sharing through funded pensions and public debt," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 15(2), pages 127-159, April.
    15. Torsten Kleinow & Johannes M. Schumacher, 2017. "Financial fairness and conditional indexation," Scandinavian Actuarial Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 2017(8), pages 651-669, September.
    16. Beetsma, Roel M.W.J. & Romp, Ward E. & Vos, Siert J., 2012. "Voluntary participation and intergenerational risk sharing in a funded pension system," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(6), pages 1310-1324.
    17. Daniel Dimitrov, 2022. "Intergenerational Risk Sharing with Market Liquidity Risk," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-028/VI, Tinbergen Institute.
    18. Marcel Lever & Ilja Boelaars & Ryanne Cox & Roel Mehlkopf, 2015. "The allocation of financial risks during the life cycle in individual and collective DC pension contracts," CPB Discussion Paper 317.rdf, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    19. Wang, Suxin & Lu, Yi, 2019. "Optimal investment strategies and risk-sharing arrangements for a hybrid pension plan," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 46-62.
    20. Hoevenaars, Roy P.M.M. & Ponds, Eduard H.M., 2008. "Valuation of intergenerational transfers in funded collective pension schemes," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(2), pages 578-593, April.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    pension fund discontinuity;

    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:ems:eureri:99472. 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: RePub (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/erimanl.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.