Citation

Discussion Paper Details

Please find the details for DP11978 in an easy to copy and paste format below:

Full Details   |   Bibliographic Reference

Full Details

Title: Population Aging, Social Security and Fiscal Limits

Author(s): Burkhard Heer, Vito Polito and Michael R. Wickens

Publication Date: April 2017

Keyword(s): Dependency Ratio, Fiscal space, Laffer Effects and Pensions

Programme Area(s): Macroeconomics and Growth and Public Economics

Abstract: We study the sustainability of pension systems using a life-cycle model with distortionary taxation that sets an upper limit to the real value of tax revenues. This limit implies an endogenous threshold dependency ratio, i.e. a point in the cross-section distribution of the population beyond which tax revenues can no longer sustain the planned level of transfers to retirees. We quantify the threshold using a computable life-cycle model calibrated on the United States and on 14 European countries which have dependency ratios among the highest in the world. We examine the effects on the threshold and welfare of a number of policies often advocated to improve the sustainability of pension systems. New tax data on dynamic Laffer effects are provided.

For full details and related downloads, please visit: https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=11978

Bibliographic Reference

Heer, B, Polito, V and Wickens, M. 2017. 'Population Aging, Social Security and Fiscal Limits'. London, Centre for Economic Policy Research. https://cepr.org/active/publications/discussion_papers/dp.php?dpno=11978