Pension Reform and Wealth Inequality: Evidence from Denmark. Andersen, T. M., Bhattacharya, J., Grodecka-Messi, A., & Mann, K. Technical Report 411, Sveriges Riksbank, February, 2022.
Pension Reform and Wealth Inequality: Evidence from Denmark [pdf]Link  abstract   bibtex   9 downloads  
A growing literature explores reasons for rising wealth inequality, but disregards the role of pension systems despite their well-understood influence on life-cycle saving. In theory and according to available evidence, both pay-as-you-go (PAYG) and fully-funded (FF) pension schemes crowd out voluntary retirement saving. They differ because aggregate savings decrease in the former but increase under the latter system. Unlike most nations, Denmark has seen a decline in wealth inequality in recent decades. This paper studies a calibrated life-cycle model of Denmark and employs unique registry data to argue that a Danish pension system transition, from a mostly PAYG to a dominant, mandated FF scheme, explains much of this decline.

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