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Social Security and Fertility

Social Security and Fertility. Discussion of Allan Carlson's Paper Family Research Council, February 23, 2005 by John D. Mueller Ethics and Public Policy Center and LBMC LLC. Three Questions. What Does Social Security do? What Effect Does Social Security Have on Fertility?

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Social Security and Fertility

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  1. Social Security and Fertility Discussion of Allan Carlson's Paper Family Research Council, February 23, 2005 by John D. Mueller Ethics and Public Policy Center and LBMC LLC

  2. Three Questions • What Does Social Security do? • What Effect Does Social Security Have on Fertility? • Legal Abortion and Social Security

  3. 1. What Does Social Security Do? • Active parents and “empty nesters” earn more than they consume--but children and retirees, less. • Social Security addresses the “retirement gap.” • Main problem for Social Security reform: avoiding a “child gap” and societal “death spiral.”

  4. The Child and Retirement Gaps

  5. 2. Social Security and Fertility • As Allan Carlson noted, “moderate-sized public pensions actually have a positive effect on fertility.” • The “greatest generation” invested its windfall in the Baby Boom. • Poorly designed Social Security reform would make it harder to raise a family.

  6. Did Social Security Help Cause the Baby Boom?

  7. What Effect Would Proposed Reforms Have on Fertility?

  8. 3. Legal Abortion and Social Security • As Allan Carlson quoted Charles Holm: “reduced fertility levels result in subsequent increases in social security expenditures.” • Legal abortion has cut lifetime births per women by 0.6-0.8. • Legal abortion accounts for more than the entire expected Social Security deficits.

  9. Legal Abortion and Fertility

  10. Legal Abortion and Worker/Retiree Ratio

  11. Legal Abortion and Social Security

  12. Conclusion • Social Security affects fertility--and vice versa. • Ending legal abortion would still avoid over half of expected Social Security deficits. • If not, both payroll tax hikes and compulsory retirement saving reduce investment in children. • Solution: matching cuts in payroll taxes and promised benefits; family-friendly income tax reform.

  13. Supplementary Charts

  14. Investments without Social Security

  15. Investments with Social Security

  16. How Social Security Raises Returns

  17. The Range of Social Security Options

  18. The Transition Cost Swamps Rates of Return

  19. Abortion and Social Security (2000 chart)

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