International

Saving Regret: Self-assessed Life-cycle Saving Behavior in the U.S. and Singapore

• January 11, 2021
• Susan Barnes
• Financial well-being, International

Based on the belief that many people have under-saved and that the reason for under-saving is procrastination, paternalistic nudging to foster saving is often advocated by policy researchers. However, there is little empirical evidence that on hindsight individuals would wish…

A Framework for Cost-Benefit Analysis of Totalization Agreements

• December 18, 2020
• Susan Barnes
• International, Social Security, Totalization

International social security totalization agreements eliminate double social security taxation for workers who reside and work in different country from their home country. Because totalization agreements affect a number of economic agents in a variety of ways, we develop a…

Survey of Disability Determinations Around the World

• December 16, 2020
• Susan Barnes
• Disability, International

Public disability insurance systems vary considerably across countries. There is variation in the benefit amounts, program administrative costs, eligibility criteria, coverage scope, accommodations such as fast-tracking of applications, and the disability determination process. The latter is of particular interest to…

Macroeconomic Effects of Social Security Totalization Agreements

• September 23, 2020
• Susan Barnes
• International, Totalization

The United States has signed international social security totalization agreements with 30 countries. For persons working in a foreign country during part of their careers, these agreements reduce double taxation on social security burdens and reduce the risk of not…

Interest Rate Trends in a Global Context

• December 11, 2019
• CMT_Admin
• Interest Rates, International, OASDI trust funds

Interest Rate Trends in a Global Context

• December 4, 2019
• CMT_Admin
• Interest Rates, International, OASDI trust funds

Long-term interest rates have been falling globally since the early 1980s and have reached historically low levels. Past forecasts largely missed this secular decline. This paper reviews methodologies for making long-term interest rate projections. We synthesize results from studies that…

2018 Key Findings

• July 15, 2019
• Susan Barnes
• Administrative data link, Affordable Care Act, Behavioral economics, benefit claiming, Cognition, Financial well-being, Health and Retirement Study, Health reform, International, Labor force participation, Labor Supply, Life-cycle model, Long-term care, Medicaid, Medicare, Mortality trends, OASDI trust funds, Older workers, Payroll taxes, pensions, Program interaction, retirement savings, Second career, Social Security, Social Security program communications, Social Security reform, Social Security spousal benefits, Supplemental Security Income, Totalization, Veterans

Social Security Coverage around the World: The Case of China and Mexico

• May 23, 2019
• Susan Barnes
• International, Social Security reform

Estimating the Effects of the Totalization Agreements

• April 15, 2019
• Cherolyn Brooks
• International, Totalization

This project aims to quantify the effects of the totalization agreements that the United States has established since the late 1970s to coordinate its Social Security program with the comparable programs of other countries. Taking advantage of the fact that…

The Effects of Totalization Agreements on Economic Activity

• April 15, 2019
• Cherolyn Brooks
• International, Totalization

The United States has signed international Social Security agreements, i.e. totalization agreements, with 30 countries in Europe, Asia, and South America. Totalization agreements have several benefits for persons who work in a foreign country during part of their careers. A…