The contrasting trends toward earlier retirement and greater longevity have resulted in steadily increasing retirement costs over the last forty years. One important factor influencing early retirement decisions is the expansion of retirement benefits; but studies predict that most countries,...

The rapidly aging populations of many developed countries--most notably Japan and member countries of the European Union--present obvious problems for the public pension plans of these countries. Not only will there be disproportionately fewer workers making pension contributions than there are...

Intro -- Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- CESifo Book Series in Economic Policy -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction -- 1 Demography -- 2 Public Support for the Old -- 3 Public Support for Families and Children -- 4 Child-Related Elements in Public Pension Schemes -- 5 Life-cycle...