This article surveys the literature on selection effects in retirement behavior. More specifically, we consider early retirement schemes with actuarially fair adjustments based on average life expectancy. To this end, we recapitulate the theoretical literature on selection effects and resulting...

In this paper we analyze exemplarily the volatility of the internal rates of return of the German pension system over the life-cycle of an individual born in 1957. The outcome is compared to an alternative defined-contribution or defined-benefit policy. Based on the actual data, our results show...

Presuming an ageing population, every introduction of a pay-as-you-go scheme causes intergenerational redistribution in favor of the first generations and to the burden of young and future generations. Using the concept of internal rates of return we want to examine the extent to which the first...

During the next decades the populations of most developed countries will grow older as a result of the low level of birth rates since the 1970s and/or the continuously increasing life expectancy. We show within a Generational Accounting framework how unsustainable the public finances of France,...

Diese Studie beschäftigt sich mit drei Herausforderungen, mit denen die Lohnpolitik an der Schwelle des nächsten Jahrtausends konfrontiert wird: Ein technischer Fortschritt, der insbesondere gering qualifizierte Arbeit freisetzt, die zunehmende internationale Integration der Arbeits- und...

It is shown that the net fiscal externality created by an additional member of a Pay-as-you-go-pension system that is endowed with individual accounts equals the gross contribution of this member. In Germany, this is an amount of about DM 175,000. The paper uses this information to design a...

A political miracle occurred when Germany was reunited, and at first glance an economic miracle has followed. Real incomes in the east have now reached the western level, and investment per capita has been much higher than in the west. However, every third deutschmark spent in the east has been...

We examine financial literacy in Germany using data from the SAVE survey. We find that knowledge of basic financial concepts is lacking among women, the less educated, and those living in East Germany. In particular, those with low education and low income in East Germany have little financial...

About 20% of German workers retire on disability pensions. Disability pensions provide fairly generous benefits for those who are not already age-eligible for an old-age pension and who are deemed unable to work for health reasons. In this paper, we use two sets of individual survey data to...