Retirement Effects of Proposals by the President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security

The effects on retirement of proposals by the President's Commission to Strengthen Social Security are simulated using an econometric model of retirement and saving. In the absence of any policy reforms, and holding other market adjustments constant, increases in real wages are predicted to increase retirement from full time work at age 62 by 8.7 percentage points over the next 70 years. However, two leading proposals put forth by the Commission, model 2 and model 3, will offset almost half this trend, reducing retirement from full–time work at age 62 by roughly five and three percentage points, respectively.