scholarly journals Reality and expectations of old-age pension savings in the pension system of the Slovak Republic

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 411-436
Author(s):  
Peter Sika ◽  
Jarmila Vidová

Abstract The aim of the authors is to provide a critical statistical-analytical view of the current pension system of the Slovak Republic with special regard to old -age pension savings in its fifteen-year existence, resulting in proposals for adjustments to its operation. It includes an analysis of the sustainability of pension systems, an analysis of the age distribution of savers as well as possible investment strategies of savers and the distribution of their property savings in pension funds. We model the investment strategy of a participant in old-age pension savings. We draw attention to the evaluation of old -age pension savings in pension funds during its existence and quantify the potential loss caused by an inappropriate investment strategy of savers. The an alysis showed that the Slovak participant in old-age pension savings invests mainly in conservative pension assets, which bring low volatility in the short term, which may not be optimal in the long run. In order to achieve change, we also outline the possibilities of changing the attitudes of savers to value their savings and propose reform steps that would contribute to ensuring a balance between the financial and social sustainability of the pension system.

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 554-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natascha van der Zwan

Financialisation and the Pension System: Lessons from the United States and the Netherlands The articles explores the financialisation of private pensions in the United States and the Netherlands. It proposes two distinct arguments. First, the article shows that both the American and the Dutch pension systems stand out internationally for their high degrees of capitalisation and the absence of substantive investment restrictions for pension funds. The article posits that both pension systems are highly financialised, yet the process of financialisation has proceeded along different historical paths and within different institutional contexts. Secondly, the article maintains that the financialisation of pension systems is accompanied by its own political dynamics. In both political economies, different groups of actors (employers, labour unions, financial professionals) have made claims over the growing concentration of pension assets. Here, particular emphasis is given to the role of the state. It shows how since the mid-1970s, both American and Dutch pension funds have altered their investment strategies, abandoning public debt as the dominant investment category. The article explains this change in terms of the rising popularity of modern portfolio theory and the immense growth of pension capital in need of new investment options. As austerity politics have made governments more dependent on financial markets, pension funds have become more assertive in leveraging their assets and demanding political reform which are in the interest of the financial industries. Financialisation has thus fundamentally altered the balance of power between the state and financial market actors.


Author(s):  
Pierre Pestieau ◽  
Mathieu Lefebvre

This chapter gives an overview of the type of pension system existing in Europe. Contributive and redistributive systems are opposed but the chapter shows that pension systems are more often a mix of both. The chapter shows how these systems have been more or less effective in tackling old age poverty in most countries and it points to the main challenges that these systems are facing, namely population ageing and low labour-force participation. The major reforms that have been implemented to ensure future sustainability of pension systems are presented but a number of additional changes that should be implemented are discussed. The chapter also presents projections for future outcomes and the link between demographic challenges and social security benefits is highlighted.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ishay Wolf ◽  
Jose Maria Caridad y Ocerin

Purpose This paper aims to analytically show that in an over-lapping-generation (OLG) model, low earning cohorts bear unwanted risk and absorb higher economic cost than high earning cohorts do. Design/methodology/approach This paper aims to consider the individual's risk appetite, using a simple utility function, based on consumptions and discount rates in each period. This paper calibrates the model according to teh Israeli pension system as a representative of a small open developed organization for economic cooperation and development country. Israel is considered as unique case study in the pension landscape, as it implements almost pure defined contribution pension scheme with continuous trend of pension market capitalization (Giorno and Jacques, 2016). Hence, this study finds Israel suitable for examining the theoretical mix of pension scheme. That model enables exploring combined solutions for adequate old age benefits, involving the first and the second pension pillars, under fiscal constraints. Findings It comes out that for risk-averse individuals, the optimal degree of funding is negatively correlated to asset returns' volatility and positively correlated to earning decile level. The neglect of risk and individual's current earning level will thus overstate the contribution level and funded percentage from total contributions. Moreover, even in an economy with minimum government intervention, and highly developed private pension fund with high average of rate of return, the authors find it is optimal that the pension system contains a sizeable unfunded pillar. This paper innovates by revealing a socio-economic anomaly in design of mix pension systems in favor of high earning cohorts on the expense of economic loss of low earning cohorts. Practical implications The model presented in this paper could be implemented in countries with mix pension systems, as an alternative to public social transfers or means tested, alleviating poverty and inequality in old age. Additionally, this model could raise the public awareness of the financial sustainability of the unfunded pay-as-you-go pillar to diversify financial risk in pension systems, especially for low earning cohort in society. Social implications One area of research that is particularly relevant in this context concerns the issue of alleviating poverty and income inequality. It is often stressed that the prevention of old age poverty is among the central targets of well-designed pension system (Holzmann and Hinz, 2005). The conceptualization of minimum pension guarantee used in this composition allows to clearly capturing the notion of such a poverty and social targets as an integral part of the pension system rolls. Originality/value This paper innovates by revealing a socio-economic anomaly in design of mix pension systems in favor of high earning cohorts on the expense of economic loss of low earning cohorts. That comes to realize through the level of total contribution rates and funded share that are generally optimal for high earning cohorts but not for low earning cohorts. This paper identifies that the effect of anomaly is most significant in a market characterized with high income-inequality level. This paper finds that imposing intra-generational risk sharing instrument in the form of minimum pension guarantee can re-balance pension design among different earning cohorts. This solution demonstrates balancing effect on the entire economy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Rabaté ◽  
Julie Rochut

AbstractIncreasing the minimum retirement age is a widespread option chosen by policy makers to reduce spending in financially constrained public pension systems. Yet, the effectiveness of such a reform strongly depends on the ability of individuals to postpone their withdrawal from the labor force. In this paper, we study the immediate impact of the 2010 reform of the French pension system by carrying out a short-term evaluation on the increase of the statutory eligibility age from 60 to 61. We use a differences-in-differences methodology, comparing the trajectories from work to retirement for succeeding generations facing a different statutory age. Using a detailed social security administrative database, we provide a global assessment of the effects of the reform, accounting for the potential substitution effects from old-age insurance toward unemployment, sickness or disability insurance schemes. Our findings suggest that despite a sizable effect on the employment rate, the reform also strongly increased unemployment and disability rates.


2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Jedynak

In recent years, a number of modifications that have a significant impact on the shape of the pension system in Poland are introduced and discussed (e.g. OFE [Open Pension Funds] reform, implementation of the PPK [Employee Capital Plans], introduction of civil pensions, etc.). The result of these changes is that the traditional, three-pillar way of presenting the shape of this system does not reflect its essence any more. On the basis of the typologies of multi-pillar pension systems proposed in the literature, the study propose a new concept for presenting the shape of the general pension system in Poland. It consists of four levels of pension security, distinguished by the criterion of the initiating subject. These levels together form the base and the supplementary part of the pension system.


2013 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 665-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
PATRICIA FRERICKS

AbstractIn the past two decades, the question of how pension systems should be designed to offer ‘adequate and sustainable pensions for all’ has been raised. As a result, European pension systems, in which market principles in general have played a marginal or even negligible role in the past, were redesigned, with market-based pensions becoming part of the pension calculation norm, i.e. the institutionalised and nationally defined target level for old-age protection. However, since the hybrid pension systems are institutionalised very differently, pension systems’ ingredients, characteristics and nexus are far from being homogeneous, and the role of market principles in hybrid systems differs. These differences significantly determine the degree of social protection of the various social citizens and the number of future pensioners with adequate pensions. An illustrative comparison of the contrasting Dutch and German institutional setups indicates differences in the manner in which market principles have been strengthened in the pension system, and the related effects these differences have on social-risk spreading.


2004 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vera Streibel

AbstractMany Economists have pointed out that capital-funded pension systems are superior to pay-as-you-go-financed systems of old-age insurance; different proposals for reforming the German pay-as-you-go pension system have been presented. Although the necessity of a fundamental reform is almost common sense, consequent changes are regularly rejected by referring to lacks of economic justice. This paper analyses, what kind of reform serves justice from a constitutional economics point of view. Criteria are developed, which individuals behind a veil of ignorance would agree on and which therefore should be met by any reform proposal. Using these criteria, three prominent proposals for reforming the German public pension system are analysed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 576-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARTIN WERDING ◽  
MARKO PRIMORAC

AbstractLike in a number of other transition countries, the Croatian pension system comprises a traditional public pay-as-you-go scheme and a mandatory funded scheme (second pillar) that will provide increasing amounts of supplementary pensions to those entering retirement in the future. Due to the continuing economic crisis, the public scheme is currently under enormous financial strain, with a sizeable impact on central government finances. At the same time, the level of benefits deriving from the overall system is likely to become inadequately low in the long run. In this paper, we describe the existing system and project its future development under current rules. We also discuss options for further reforming the system and highlight their potential impact on pension finances, public budgets and retirement incomes, as this may provide lessons, which are of interest elsewhere.


2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 691-712
Author(s):  
Guang Yang ◽  
Xinwang Liu ◽  
Jindong Qin ◽  
Ahmed Khan

This paper presents a behavioral portfolio selection model with time discounting preference. Firstly, we discuss the portfolio selection problem and then modify this model based on cumulative prospect theory (CPT) as well as considering investors’ time discounting preference in psychology. Furthermore, an analytical solution with satisfying behavior is given for our proposed model, the results show that when investors’ goals are very ambitious, they put a high proportion of their wealth in long-term goals and adopt aggressive investment strategies with high leverage to reach short-term goals and the overall investment strategy also displays high leverage. Finally, numerical analysis is given and it is shown that investor who tends to future bias performs adequate confidence and patience whereas investor with present bias is apt to the immediate interests.


2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 349-357
Author(s):  
Adam Samborski

Despite a comprehensive pension related debate held on the governmental level and in media in Poland, little time was spent, however, on discussing nature and usefulness of governance in the context of pension systems aimed at would-be-pensioners. Attention is predominantly paid to the role of governance for investments. Unfortunately, governance is not addressed, with reference to pension funds, the way it should be. The author is looking for answers to questions about the state of pension fund governance in Poland, thus trying to find methods for improvement. Nevertheless, this text concentrates on a small fragment of the pension system in Poland. The article aims at attempting identification of issues to be faced by governance in voluntary pension funds that are managed by universal pension fund management companies.


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