Pension Reform Preferences in Germany: Does Information Matter?

39 Pages Posted: 18 Nov 2022

See all articles by Jana Schuetz

Jana Schuetz

Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena

Silke Uebelmesser

Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena - School of Economics and Business Administration; CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute)

Ronja Baginski

University of Mannheim

Carmela Aprea

University of Mannheim

Date Written: 2022

Abstract

Demographic change has an impact on pay-as-you-go pension systems. To maintain their financial sustainability, reforms are necessary, but often lack public support. Based on representative survey data from Germany, we conduct a survey experiment which allows investigating whether salience of or information about demographic change enhances preferences towards reforms in general as well as towards specific reform measures. We find that salience and information provision significantly increase the perceived reform necessity. Furthermore, salience increases preferences for an increase of the retirement age over other reform measures, while information provision reduces preferences for tax subsidies. In addition, we highlight the impact of prior beliefs on the treatment effects. As the salience and the information treatments barely differ, we conclude that it is not the information about the demographic change, which matters. Rather, being made aware of the challenges of the pension system impacts reform preferences.

Keywords: pension reform preference, survey experiment, demographic change, information provision

JEL Classification: H550, J260, C900

Suggested Citation

Schuetz, Jana and Uebelmesser, Silke and Baginski, Ronja and Aprea, Carmela, Pension Reform Preferences in Germany: Does Information Matter? (2022). CESifo Working Paper No. 10072, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4275359 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4275359

Jana Schuetz (Contact Author)

Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena ( email )

Carl-Zeiss-Str. 3
Jena, Thuringa 07743
Germany

Silke Uebelmesser

Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena - School of Economics and Business Administration ( email )

Carl-Zeiss-Str. 3
D-07743 Jena
Germany

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute) ( email )

Poschinger Str. 5
Munich, DE-81679
Germany

HOME PAGE: http://www.CESifo.de

Ronja Baginski

University of Mannheim ( email )

Universitaetsbibliothek Mannheim
Zeitschriftenabteilung
Mannheim, 68131
Germany

Carmela Aprea

University of Mannheim ( email )

Universitaetsbibliothek Mannheim
Zeitschriftenabteilung
Mannheim, 68131
Germany

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