1st Edition

Pensions: Challenges and Reforms

By Einar Overbye, Peter A. Kemp Copyright 2004
    256 Pages
    by Routledge

    256 Pages
    by Routledge

    Throughout the developed world, public and private pension schemes face major challenges that are creating irresistible pressures for reform. Major structural changes in Latin America and in Central and Eastern Europe have led to particularly fierce pressure. Two member states of the European Union - Italy and Sweden - have introduced radical reform of their public pensions systems; controversial pension reforms have been proposed in France and Germany; and the British government has been widely criticized over its pension reforms and its 2002 white paper. This exceptional volume examines the challenges faced by pension schemes in the advanced economies and the reforms that have been introduced to tackle these challenges. A team of international contributors provides an up-to-date, invaluable analysis of different aspects of pension problems, prospects and reforms. The book incorporates cross-national chapters as well as a focus on individual countries including Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, Finland, Greece, Italy, Sweden, the UK and the USA.

    Contents: Introduction, Einar Overbye and Peter A. Kemp. Promoting Later Exit: Pension incentives and early retirement, Richard Blundell; Role of the firm in early retirement, Tuulia Hakola and Roope Uusitalo. Reform Experiences: Brazilian social security and Latin-American structural reforms, Milko Matijascic; Social security reform: the United States in 2002, Andrew A. Samwick; Do individuals make informed pension programme choices? Evidence from Columbia, Kristin J. Kleinjans; Swedish pension reform: comments and reflections, Tor Eriksen and Edward Palmer; Elderly assistance in Italy and the social pension scheme, Daniela Monacelli; The failures of Bismarck and Beveridge: the case of old-age pensions for the self-employed in Belgium, Bea Cantillon; The politics of pension reform in Greece, Polyxeni Triantafillou; Financial resources in retirement: the roles of pensions and other sources, Peter Scherer. Pension Reforms and the Emerging Public/Private Mix: The relationship of the public/private mix with poverty and inequality, Martin Rein and Christina Behrendt; Income change and distribution upon widowhood: comparison of Britain, the United States and Germany, Karen Holden and Jennie Brand; Index.

    Biography

    EINAR OVERBYE The Norwegian Social Research Institute, PETER A. KEMP University of York