Assessing Redistribution within Social Insurance Systems.The cases of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay

This paper summarizes the main findings in a series of coordinated studies conducted to assess the impact of social security programs on the distribution of lifetime labor income in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico and Uruguay. The country-case studies find varying degrees of redistribution, with PAYG-DB and mixed programs redistributing more than individual savings accounts programs. Notwithstanding, it is the Chilean individual savings accounts program, combined with the recently reformed solidarity pillar, the one that contributes more to reducing inequality in this group of countries.