03354oam 22004333a 450 991070292620332120230622022822.0(NBER)w6430(CKB)3240000000021829(OCoLC)681741984(EXLCZ)99324000000002182920230622d1998 fy 0engurcnu||||||||txtrdacontentcrdamediacrrdacarrierOpting Out of Social Security and Adverse Selection /Laurence J. Kotlikoff, Kent A. Smetters, Jan WalliserCambridge, MassNational Bureau of Economic Research1998Washington, DC :Congressional Budget Office,[1998]1 online resourceillustrations (black and white);NBER working paper seriesno. w6430February 1998.Includes bibliographical references.This paper compares two general methods of privatization social security: forced participation in the new privatized system vs. letting people choose between the new system or staying in social security (i.e., opting out). Simulations are performed using a large scale perfect-foresight OLG simulation model that incorporates both intra-generational and inter-generational heterogeneity. The decision of any agent to opt out is endogenous and depends on the opting out decisions of all other agents vis-...-vis factor prices. Various tax bases are considered in financing the transition path, as well as the perceived tax-benefit linkage due to the informational problems inherent in many social security systems. We consider two cases: full and no perception Both methods of privatizing social security lead to large long- run gains for all lifetime income classes despite the intra-generational progressivity of social security, but differ in their short run effects due to adverse selection associated with opting out. Adverse selection is a key reason why many economists oppose opting out and why many plans to privatize social security systems mandate participation. This paper, however, shows this wisdom to be wide of the mark. Opting out is better at protecting the welfare of the initial elderly, even though forced participation protects their real value of social security benefits because opting out continues to collect payroll tax revenue from those who stay with social security. Opting out can mean quicker transition paths by reducing social security wealth faster than forced participation, because many will forfeit their accrued claims as the price of opting out. Yet opting out, along with a decrease in the payroll tax rate is better at shifting the burden to future workers who benefit from privatization.Working Paper Series (National Bureau of Economic Research)no. w6430.Social Security and Public PensionsjelcSocial Security and Public PensionsH55jelcKotlikoff Laurence J124852Smetters Kent A1363736Walliser Jan1143280National Bureau of Economic Research.MaCbNBERMaCbNBERBOOK9910702926203321Opting Out of Social Security and Adverse Selection3386778UNINA