(UM12-10) - Mismeasurement of Pensions Before and After Retirement: The Mystery of the Disappearing Pensions with Implications for the Importance of Social Security as a Source of Retirement Support
Alan L. Gustman, Thomas L. Steinmeier and Nahid Tabatabai

This project will address inconsistencies between surveys measuring retirement support from pensions before retirement versus after retirement, and will derive implications for estimates of the share of support in retirement due to Social Security. Specifically, the project (1) will document differences between measures of pension coverage, and value, from surveys asking those approaching retirement age vs. those asking retirees; (2) use panel data from the Health and Retirement Study to reconcile differences in pension coverage and pension values before and after retirement for the same individuals; (3) use HRS data to estimate correction factors resulting from differences in definitions, measurement, treatment of pensions for different jobs and other factors; and, (4) derive implications of these corrections for the reported distribution of the share of retirement wealth and retirement income due to pensions and Social Security, as well as the share of the population solely dependent on Social Security.

Brief:

• Mismeasurement of Pensions Before and After Retirement: The Mystery of the Disappearing Pensions with Implications for the Importance of Social Security as a Source of Retirement Support


Working Paper:

• Mismeasurement of Pensions Before and After Retirement: The Mystery of the Disappearing Pensions with Implications for the Importance of Social Security as a Source of Retirement Support