Gender differences in retirement decisions in Hong Kong

The study of labor force participation at older ages and the process of retirement do not have a long tradition in Asia's newly developed societies. This study, based on telephone survey of 950 respondents, examines various socio-economic factors that would influence retirement decision among older workers in Hong Kong. The findings show that older men were more likely to participate in the labor force than older women. Interestingly, older workers, in particular older women, with pension were less likely to retire. Having a working spouse decreased the likelihood of retirement and older workers, in particular older women, living with married children were more likely to retire. Poor health also discourages the propensity to continue working at old age. These findings confirm that retirement entails much more than just a decision to stop work, and that there were gender differences in retirement decision. Finally, several policy challenges, with reference to elderly women, concerning older workers' labor force participation were discussed.     

Retirement against the demographic trend: More older people living longer, working less, and saving less?

The American population is aging rapidly and individuals are living longer. Yet Americans are saving less and older workers are leaving the labor force at younger and younger ages. The accelerated drop in labor force participation corresponds roughly to the introduction of Social Security and the adaption of employer-provided pension plans. I have illustrated that Social Security and employer-provided pension plans provide substantial incentive to leave the labor force early. The quantitative effect of this inducement is illustrated by simulating the effects of changes in pension plan and Social Security provisions on the retirement decisions of employees in a large firm, who are covered by a typical defined benefit pension plan. Scheduled Social Security changes would have little effect on the retirement decisions of employees with a typical defined benefit pension plan like the one considered here. But if the pension plan provisions were changed to correspond to the Social Security changes, the effect would be very large. And, although not contemplated by current legislation, it is clear that an increase in the Social Security early retirement age would have a substantial effect on the early retirement rates of the large number of employees not covered by a pension plan.     

Child gender and father involvement in fragile families

In this article, we use data from the first two waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine the effects of child gender on father involvement and to determine if gender effects differ by parents' marital status. We examine several indicators of father involvement, including whether the father acknowledges "ownership" of the child, whether the parents live together when the child is one year old, and whether the father provides financial support when the child is one year old. We find some evidence that child gender is associated with unmarried father involvement around the time of the child's birth: sons born to unmarried parents are more likely than daughters to receive the father's surname, especially if the mother has no other children. However, one year after birth, we find very little evidence that child gender is related to parents' living arrangements or the amount of time or money fathers invest in their children. In contrast, and consistent with previous research, fathers who are married when their child is born are more likely to live with a son than with a daughter one year after birth. This pattern supports an interpretation of child gender effects based on parental beliefs about the importance of fathers for the long-term development of sons.     

Sociodemographic and Health Profiles of the Oldest Old In China

Unique data from a 1998 healthy longevity baseline survey provide demographic, socio‐economic, and health characteristics of the oldest old, aged 80–105, in China. This subpopu‐lation is growing rapidly and is likely to need extensive social and health services. A large majority of Chinese oldest old live with their children and rely mainly on children for financial support and care. Most Chinese oldest old had no or very little education. Ability to function independently in daily living declines rapidly and self‐rated health declines moderately across the oldest old ages. As compared to their urban counterparts, the rural oldest old have far less pension support, are significantly less educated, and are more likely to be widowed and to rely on children for support. Apart from higher rates of survival, the female oldest old in China are far more disadvantaged than the male oldest old.     

养老金性别差异影响因素分析——以上海城镇“老人”为例

为了了解养老金性别差异的影响因素及各因素的影响程度,通过对2003年上海市老年人口状况与意愿跟踪调查原始数据的多元线性回归分析,本研究发现：．女性城镇“老人”在受教育年限、退休年龄和退休前职业等方面较男性城镇“老人”均处于劣势：不同特征女性城镇“老人”养老金整体上低于男性城镇“老人”：退休年龄和受教育年限对养老金的性别差异有较强的解释力;退休年份越晚,养老金的性别差异由退休年龄和受教育年限解释的比重越高。     

提前退休模式与行为及其影响因素——基于中国综合社会调查数据的分析

文章基于2008年中国综合社会调查数据,对城镇人口提前退休模式与行为及其影响因素进行了分析。主要结论是:(1)提前退休模式与行为存在显著的性别差异,女性比男性距离法定退休年龄更近时退休,表现出较为明显的集聚特征,法定退休年龄对女性退休模式与行为的影响更大;(2)随着中国家庭子女数量的减少,劳动力市场灵活性的逐步增强,人们劳动参与意愿和可能性都会显著提升,提前退休的可能性越来越小,而且不断提高的受教育程度也会使女性提前退休的可能性减小;(3)中国的社会保障制度对男性提前退休有显著影响,对女性则不显著。与养老保险制度相比,医疗保险与失业保险制度对男性提前退休的影响更大,基本医疗保险制度的完善会增加提前退休的可能性,失业保险制度的完善更有可能增强男性的工作意愿,降低提前退休的可能性。     

Gender,risk and access to tax-favored fringe benefits: A split labor market approach

This paper examines sex differences in access to tax-favored pension plans and group insurance. Since women cost more to insure than men, a split labor market is created. The hypothesis tested here is whether or not gender differences in fringe benefit costs are substantial enough to affect employers' decisions to provide them. If so, this would help explain the relative undercoverage of women. Multiple regression analysis of data from the 1977 Quality of Employment Survey is used to examine this. The results show little evidence of direct sex discrimination by employers. However, lower-status, female-dominated occupations are less likely to be insured. Policy implications are discussed.     

Does financial self-efficacy explain gender differences in retirement saving strategies?

Research indicates that women remain less financially prepared for retirement than are men. Little research has examined the gender difference in use of retirement plans. The present research assessed the gender difference in use of employer-sponsored and private retirement plans, and sought to account for this difference. Social status and human capital factors, occupation and industry of employment, and sense of financial self-efficacy were expected to account for gender differences. Findings indicated gender has no relationship with use of private retirement plans. However, females were found to be less likely to use an employer-sponsored plan, and this was largely accounted for by gender differences in occupation.     

中国农村老年人养老规划的现状及影响因素研究

制定养老规划是农村老年人积极应对养老风险的重要举措。利用中国老年社会追踪调查2018年数据,文章分析了农村老年人的养老规划现状及其影响因素,发现约34.6%的农村老年人实际有养老规划,约13.8%的老年人误判了自身的养老规划状况;现金储蓄是农村老年人的主要规划方式。相比农村居住的非留守老年人,农村留守老年人和进城农村老年人有养老规划的比例更高。农村老年人的经济收入对其是否做养老规划既存在显性影响,也具有通过养老观念的中介作用而表现出的显著的隐含影响。在养老责任观念的中介作用下,认同由政府和社会承担养老责任的养老观念会促使有劳动收入、子女给予经济支持和有新型农村养老保险的老年人做养老规划的可能性下降。     

Son Preference and the Persistence of Culture: Evidence from South and East Asian Immigrants to Canada

Preference for sons over daughters, evident in China's and South Asia's male sex ratios, is commonly rationalized by poverty and the need for old‐age support. In this article we study South and East Asian immigrants to Canada, a group for whom the economic imperative to select sons is largely absent. Analyzing the 2001 and 2006 censuses, 20 percent samples, we find clear evidence of extensive sex selection in favor of boys at higher parities among South and East Asian immigrants unless they are Christian or Muslim. The latter finding accords with the explicit prohibition against (female) infanticide—traditionally the main sex‐selection method—in these religions. Our findings point to a strong cultural component to both the preference for sons and the willingness to resort to induced abortion based on sex.     

中国城镇基本养老保险金“年龄缺口”分析——基于延长退休年龄的假设

基于我国目前城镇基本养老保险的制度设计,以及对未来中国人口老龄化的预期,可以说城镇基本养老制度,在未来所要承受巨大的挑战将是毫无疑问的。目前理论界也就此问题提出了各种解决方法以及相关的效用分析。本文通过对“延长法定退休年龄”这一解决基本养老制度压力的途径进行假设,对不同法定退休年龄状态下,从目前到2050年的时间范围内,对我国城镇基本养老保险金的“年龄缺口”进行描述和分析。从而为应对人口老龄化带来的制度压力提供理论支持。     

外出务工对农村老年人家庭子女养老分工影响研究

文章利用西安交通大学人口与发展研究所2009年在安徽省巢湖市进行的＂安徽省老年人生活福利状况＂抽样调查数据,采用多元Logistic回归分析了农村老年人家庭儿子与女儿外出务工状况对子女兄弟姐妹养老分工的影响。结果表明,外出务工对子女养老分工有显著影响,并且儿子和女儿外出务工的影响存在显著性别差异。儿子全部外出务工,子女之间倾向不平均分担对老年父母的经济支持,女儿全部外出务工,子女之间倾向于共同平均分担经济支持;儿子全部外出务工或女儿全部外出务工,子女之间都倾向于不给予老年父母生活照料。     

The impact of minority group status on the projected retirement income of divorced women in the baby boom cohort

Using projections from the Social Security Administration's Modeling Income in the Near Term (MINT1), we examine the characteristics and retirement income of white non-Hispanic, black non-Hispanic, and Hispanic divorced women in the baby boom cohort. Although we find significant differences in retirement income for divorced women of different racial and ethnic groups, the characteristics associated with higher or lower retirement income are very similar. That is, being college educated, owning a home, and having pension and asset income, for example, correspond to increased retirement income for all racial and ethnic groups. However, because black and Hispanic women are less likely than white women to be college educated, to own their home, and to have pension and asset income, their retirement income tends to be lower than that of white women. We conclude the paper by briefly discussing policy options to address the retirement needs of divorced women.     

我国退休年龄延迟设计研究

本文针对当前我国＂未富先老＂、人口红利对经济增长的促进作用减弱及因人口老龄化进程加速而引起的社会养老负担过重等问题,依据人均预期寿命、劳动者参加工作的初始年龄和不同类型劳动对人体体力要求的差异等,就从事不同类型劳动的退休年龄标准进行了延迟设计。然后以国际上自我养老负担系数的合理取值范围为标准,就延迟设计方案的自我养老负担系数进行了测算。结果表明：延迟设计方案的退休年龄标准在当前及未来较短时期比较适合我国国情。但随着人均预期寿命的增长,也要结合自我养老负担系数的合理取值范围对退休年龄逐步调整,才能有效解决我国因人口老龄化逐步加深而引起的各种社会经济问题。本文试图为我国调整退休年龄标准提出可供借鉴的依据,进而有效地解决我国因人口老龄化逐步加深而对社会经济发展造成的负面影响。     

提高退休年龄与降低替代率：城镇职工基本养老金的财政支出研究

目前，中国法定退体年龄与最优退休年龄存在不同步的现象，所建最优退休年龄经济模型的结果表明人口死亡概率与最优退休年龄的动态经济规律。按照这个规律，中国目前应提高退休年龄。但通过对城镇职工的年龄预测及对其赡养率和缴费率的敏感性分析，笔者认为解决目前财政压力的关键是适当降低养老金替代率，而提高退休年龄应运步推行。     

Effects of demographic and retirement-age policies on future pension deficits, with an application to China

A simple method is proposed for projecting future deficits in a defined benefit or defined contribution pension scheme. The annual pension deficit rate is expressed in terms of the elderly dependency ratio (determined by demographic factors), the average retirement age, and a few parameters describing the scheme. An illustrative application to China demonstrates that if the average age at retirement gradually increases from the current low level to age 65 for both men and women in 2050, the annual pension deficit rate would be greatly reduced or even eliminated under various plausible demographic regimes over this period. With all else equal, a transition to a two-child policy (assuming this would raise fertility) would also lower the deficit rate in comparison to keeping the current fertility policy unchanged, although the effect would be seen only after 2030. The effect of potentially faster mortality decline in raising future deficits is appreciable and starts earlier than the effects of fertility change. The proposed method may also be used to gauge the magnitudes and timing of impacts on future pension deficits of alternative assumptions regarding levels and age/sex composition of international migration.     

美国社会保障退休金确定机制——方法、特点与启示

养老金待遇确定机制是公共养老金制度的核心内容之一。从三个方面系统研究了美国社会保障退休金确定机制:在退休年龄方面,实现了劳动关系和社会保障关系的相对分离,通过引入“全额领取年龄”建立了“早减晚增”式初始退休金调节机制;在计算办法方面,建立了基于个体的、全国统一的基本保险金额计算办法,并通过分级加权实现了收入再分配和减少老年贫困等功能;在待遇调整方面,建立了基于生活成本调整的退休金指数化自动调整机制。立足我国基本养老保险制度实践、借鉴美国退休金制度设计经验,本文认为我国基本养老保险待遇确定机制改革的方向是引入较为宽松灵活的退休政策、待遇计发与全国性指标挂钩以促进全国统筹和制度公平、增强待遇计发对参保和缴费行为的激励作用、尽快建立科学合理的待遇调整机制。     

Demographic Dividend,Population Aging and Raising the Retirement Age

China’s low fertility combined with increase in average life expectancy is leading to disappearing demographic dividend and population aging crisis. In this case, we may have a policy choice to raise the retirement age. Because the disappearing of demographic dividend gradually and the reversal of labor supply and demand may be the driving force of raising the retirement age, and the payment crisis of pension system which caused by the population aging may be the pulling force of raising the retirement age. If we consider the impact of this policy on urban employment and the laborheterogeneity in current conditions, we should carry out the practical policy which raise the retirement age slowly progressive and gradually.     

我国应谨慎出台延迟退休政策

随着人口老龄化程度的加深,延迟退休年龄的话题近年来络绎不绝地出现在各大报章,同时在网络上引起热烈讨论,提高退休年龄似乎已势在必行。然而从我国现阶段的基本国情出发,延迟退休的政策应从长计议,谨慎出台。本文从延迟退休年龄与养老保险制度、老年人力资源利用、劳动力就业三方面的关系出发,论述了延长退休年龄应注意的几个问题,并提出对策建议。     

我国弹性退休年龄制度设计——基于美国相关制度的实践

弹性退休制度允许劳动者自由选择是否工作以及是否领取养老金。这一制度有着诸多优点。从美国的实践情况来看,该制度既鼓励了劳动者多劳多得,又使社保基金增收节支;既遏制了养老金领取者的贫富差距扩大,又确保老龄劳动者与年轻人展开公平竞争。当前,我国可以对达到退休年龄以后继续工作的劳动者采取中性政策,对延迟领取养老金的劳动者予以鼓励。