Our findings suggest that although the consequences of the decline in the stock market are serious for those approaching their retirement, the average person approaching retirement age is not likely to suffer a life changing financial loss from the stock market downturn of 2008-2009. Similarly,...

This paper examines retirement and related behavioral responses to policies that on average are actuarially neutral. Many conventional models predict that actuarially neutral policies will not affect retirement behavior. In contrast, our model allows those with high time preference rates to find...

This paper simulates the retirement effects of the various elements of proposals made by the President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security (CSSS). Simulations are based on a structural dynamic model of retirement and savings estimated with data from the first five waves of the Health and...

A structural dynamic model of retirement and saving is used to simulate the retirement effects of proposals made by the President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security. Provisions reducing the growth in real benefits and increasing actuarial incentives to work reduce retirements. They more...

The President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security suggests three plans for reforming Social Security. These plans divert various amounts of the payroll tax to a personal account if the worker chooses to participate in the account. In return, Social Security benefits are offset using...

The President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security has proposed a number of changes in Social Security, each of them introducing personal accounts funded from a portion of payroll tax receipts, and in one case, out of additional contributions. These changes are presented in the form of...