Economics Research Seminar

In this paper, we study the labor supply effects and the redistributional consequences of the U.S. social security system. We focus particularly on aux iliary benefits, where eligibility is linked to marital status. To this end, we develop a dynamic, structural life cycle model of singles and couples, featuring uncertain marital status and survival. We account for the socio-economic gradients to both marriage stability and life expectancy. We find that auxiliary benefits have a large depressing effect on married women’s employment. Moreover, we show that a revenue neutral minimum benefit scheme would moderately reduce inequality relative to the current U.S. system. 

Please join the Economics Department for a research seminar.  This event is open to all Case Western Reserve University faculty, Ph.D. students, economic majors and minors, and those interested in economics research.

 
Contact Information:
Teresa Kabat 
teresa.kabat@case.edu 
216.368.4110