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Ageing populations, retirement incomes and public policy: what really matters

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  • Littlewood, Michael

Abstract

When setting public policies on retirement incomes, governments should focus on objectives they have a unique capacity to influence. Only governments can reliably eliminate poverty in old age, level the tax and regulatory playing fields for financial service providers/savers and gather impeccable, deep data. They can also help citizens to understand the things that really matter to individual saving decisions. Governments should avoid trying to influence or direct private provision for retirement by tax breaks or compulsion (‘hard’ or ‘soft’). That those common interventions seem not to work is only one of their many shortcomings. Then, citizens and employers should make their own decisions about financial provision for retirement.

Suggested Citation

  • Littlewood, Michael, 2014. "Ageing populations, retirement incomes and public policy: what really matters," MPRA Paper 56232, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:56232
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    File URL: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/56232/1/MPRA_paper_56232.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. BALTES Nicolae & JIMON Stefania Amalia, 2018. "Pension System In Reducing Poverty Risk In Romania," Revista Economica, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 70(1), pages 114-127, August.
    2. Nicolae Balteș & Ștefania Amalia Jimon, 2019. "Social Inequalities and the Reform of Romanian Public Pension System by Law no. 127/2019," Ovidius University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, Ovidius University of Constantza, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 0(2), pages 219-226, December.
    3. BALTEȘ Nicolae & JIMON Ștefania Amalia, 2020. "Study Regarding The Effects Of Demographic Transition On Labor Market And Public Pension System In Central And Eastern Europe," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 15(1), pages 158-170, April.
    4. JIMON Stefania Amalia & BALTES Nicolae & MUNTEAN Neli, 2019. "Social Protection Of Older People And The Structure Of Consumption Expenditure In Countries Of Central And Eastern Europe," Revista Economica, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 71(2), pages 103-117, September.
    5. repec:blg:reveco:v:70:y:2018:i:3:p:8-21 is not listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    retirement incomes; public policy; universal pension; private provision;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies

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