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Social Security Reforms and the Changing Retirement Behavior in Germany

Author

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  • Axel H. Börsch-Supan
  • Johannes Rausch
  • Nicolas Goll

Abstract

As much like other industrialized countries, in recent decades the employment rate in Germany for those aged 55 to 69 had been declining first to considerably rise again afterwards. This paper investigates the role of structural policy changes, in particular reforms of the pension system, since 1980 in explaining this trend reversal. We summarize the institutional changes and pension reforms that may account for the trend reversal, and calculate an “implicit tax on working longer”. We find that for both men and women the increase in the employment rate coincides with a reduction in the early retirement incentive. The reduction of incentives mainly stems from the introduction of actuarial deductions for early retirement and from the abolishment of specific early retirement pathways.

Suggested Citation

  • Axel H. Börsch-Supan & Johannes Rausch & Nicolas Goll, 2020. "Social Security Reforms and the Changing Retirement Behavior in Germany," NBER Working Papers 27518, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:27518
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Axel H. Börsch-Supan & Courtney Coile, 2018. "Social Security Programs and Retirement Around the World: Reforms and Retirement Incentives – Introduction and Summary," NBER Working Papers 25280, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Sikandar Siddiqui, 1997. "The pension incentive to retire: Empirical evidence for West Germany," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 10(4), pages 463-486.
    3. Axel Börsch-Supan & Christopher Quinn, 2015. "Taxing Pensions and Retirement Benefits in Germany," CESifo Working Paper Series 5636, CESifo.
    4. Hanel, Barbara, 2010. "Financial incentives to postpone retirement and further effects on employment -- Evidence from a natural experiment," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 474-486, June.
    5. David A. Wise, 2012. "Social Security Programs and Retirement around the World: Historical Trends in Mortality and Health, Employment, and Disability Insurance Participation and Reforms," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number wise11-1.
    6. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Bucher-Koenen, Tabea & Kluth, Sebastian & Haupt, Marlene & Goll, Nicolas, 2015. "Vor- und Nachteile höherer Flexibilität als Instrument zur Erhöhung der Beschäftigung Älterer," MEA discussion paper series 201506, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
    7. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Quinn, Christopher, 2015. "Taxing pensions and retirement benefits in Germany," MEA discussion paper series 201510, Munich Center for the Economics of Aging (MEA) at the Max Planck Institute for Social Law and Social Policy.
    8. Axel Börsch-Supan & Irene Ferrari, 2017. "Old-age Labor Force Participation in Germany: What Explains the Trend Reversal among Older Men? And What the Steady Increase among Women?," NBER Working Papers 24044, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Gasche Martin, 2012. "Was sind die richtigen Rentenabschläge? – neue Perspektiven," Review of Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 63(2), pages 187-235, August.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Moghadam, Hamed Markazi & Puhani, Patrick A. & Tyrowicz, Joanna, 2024. "Pension reforms and couples’ labour supply decisions," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    2. David Knapp & Jinkook Lee & Maciej Lis & Drystan Phillips, 2021. "Public Pension Design and Household Retirement Decisions: A Comparison of the United States and Germany," Working Papers wp417, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center.
    3. Laub, Natalie & Boockmann, Bernhard & Kroczek, Martin, 2023. "Tightening Access to Early Retirement: Who Can Adapt?," VfS Annual Conference 2023 (Regensburg): Growth and the "sociale Frage" 277625, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    4. Bernhard Boockmann & Martin Kroczek & Natalie Laub, 2023. "Tightening access to early retirement: who can adapt?," IAW Discussion Papers 142, Institut für Angewandte Wirtschaftsforschung (IAW).

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    More about this item

    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

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