This paper assesses how a permanent shift from financing a public pay-as-you-go pension by direct (labour income) taxation towards financing it by indirect(consumption) taxation affects the economy and welfare. To this end, we use anoverlapping-generations-augmented two-region general...

This paper explores the optimal risk sharing arrangement between generations in an overlapping generations model with endogenous growth. We allow for nonseparable preferences, paying particular attention to the risk aversion of the old as well as overall "life-cycle" risk aversion. We provide a...

We characterize an optimal redistributive pension scheme when individuals face temptation, but can exert costly self-control (as in Gul & Pesendorfer, 2001; 2004). Our results challenge the common wisdom that forced savings tend to reduce individuals' mental cost of self-control. In our model,...

In funded defined benefit pension schemes, contribution and accrual rates are typically age-independent. This implies that pension contributions are front-loaded. As contributions and accruals usually relate to earned labor income, this front-loading may affect labor market efficiency. For it...

This paper explores the optimal risk sharing arrangement between generations in an overlapping generations model with endogenous growth. We allow for nonseparable preferences, paying particular attention to the risk aversion of the old as well as overall 'life-cycle' risk aversion. We provide a...

The paper addresses two related issues: the optimal intergenerational sharing of laborproductivity risks, through a Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) social security, and the mix ofPAYG and savings for retirement provision in a small open economy. It shows that partial contingency of the social security on...

Questions are often raised about who is entitled to death or survivor benefits from a federally regulated employee benefit plan, whether for federal employees, or for private employees by a plan governed by ERISA. The following principles generally resolve these questions: • Federal law does...

Wills are not the only instrument available to pass wealth on death. A person can also use a number of other mechanisms such as trusts, life assurance policies, private pension schemes or survivorship operating on death of a joint tenant.This chapter focuses on the functioning of private pension...

A substantial part of the assets of many individuals consists of benefits from life insurance and retirement plans (collectively "plan benefits" and "plans," respectively). As an individual's family, friends, and preferred charities change, the intended goals of the individual with respect to...

There is ambiguity whether New York law permits a judgment creditor to enforce its claim against the debtor’s interest in an inherited individual retirement account (IRA). In contrast, some states have enacted legislation that protect inherited IRAs from creditors of a beneficiary. The article...