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Do Single Women Value Early Retirement more than Single Men?

Author

Listed:
  • Anne Møller Danø

    (Institute of Local Government studies (AKF), Copenhagen)

  • Mette Ejrnæs

    (Institute of Economics, University of Copenhagen)

  • Leif Husted

    (Institute of Local Government studies (AKF), Copenhagen)

Abstract

The focus of this paper is to analyse why a large fraction of single elderly people choose to retire early. A structural model directly based on the individual decision of labour supply is estimated on a sample of singles, where singles are defined as those who are living alone. We find that income and health are important determinants of the retirement decision. Furthermore, we find substantial gender differences in the retirement pattern. Healthy single women value retirement more than healthy single men and are willing to reduce their disposable income to 74 per cent of their previous income while men are willing to reduce the income to 81 per cent. Men’s retirement decision is mainly influenced by income and health, whereas women’s retirement decision is also affected by education and unemployment experience.

Suggested Citation

  • Anne Møller Danø & Mette Ejrnæs & Leif Husted, 2004. "Do Single Women Value Early Retirement more than Single Men?," CAM Working Papers 2004-06, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. Centre for Applied Microeconometrics.
    • Handle: RePEc:kud:kuieca:2004_06
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    File URL: http://www.econ.ku.dk/cam/wp0910/wp0203/2004-06.pdf/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Kristensen, Nicolai, 2012. "Training and Retirement," IZA Discussion Papers 6301, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Michele Belloni & Rob Alessie, 2013. "Retirement Choices in Italy: What an Option Value Model Tells Us," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 75(4), pages 499-527, August.
    3. Hanne Preter & Dorien Looy & Dimitri Mortelmans, 2015. "Retirement Timing of Dual-Earner Couples in 11 European Countries? A Comparison of Cox and Shared Frailty Models," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 396-407, September.
    4. Heidler, Matthias & Raffelhüschen, Bernd & Leifels, Arne, 2006. "Heterogenous life expectancy, adverse selection, and retirement behaviour," FZG Discussion Papers 13, University of Freiburg, Research Center for Generational Contracts (FZG).
    5. repec:aia:aiaswp:wp44 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Casas, Pablo & Román, Concepción, 2023. "Early retired or automatized? Evidence from the survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 24(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    retirement; gender differences; singles; panel data; option value;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies

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