Criteria for the Optimal Design of a Social Security Retirement System

This paper discusses a series of selection points in the design and financing of social security retirement systems. For each criterion, the paper lists and discusses advantages and disadvantages of the options available. The selection points include (1) Funded versus PAYGO; (2) Minimum benefits, Demogrant or Welfare; (3) Progressive versus Regressive; (4) Voluntary versus Mandatory; (5) Individual Accounts versus Commingling of Risk (6) Public versus Private sourcing; (7) Automatic Balancing Mechanisms; (8) System Risk Diversification. It is the sincere hope of the author that this discussion will create even more debate of the issues surrounding these important selection criteria which, in turn, will result in better social security retirement systems for all.