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Market Inefficiency and Household Labor Supply: Evidence from Social Security’s Survivors Benefits

Author

Listed:
  • Itzik Fadlon
  • Shanthi P. Ramnath
  • Patricia K. Tong
Abstract
We study the effects of the Social Security survivors benefits program on household labor supply and the efficiency implications for insurance and credit markets. We use U.S. population tax records and exploit a sharp age discontinuity in benefit eligibility for identification. We find that eligibility induces considerable reductions in labor supply both among newly-widowed households in the immediate post-shock periods and among already-widowed households whose benefit receipt is entirely predictable. The evidence points to liquidity constraints, rather than myopia, as a leading operative mechanism underlying household responses to anticipated benefits. Our findings identify important inefficiencies in the life insurance market and in the allocation of credit. Our results further highlight the protective insurance role of the social program and the importance of liquidity provided by the government, and they suggest potential gains from expanding and smoothing the program’s benefit schedule.

Suggested Citation

  • Itzik Fadlon & Shanthi P. Ramnath & Patricia K. Tong, 2019. "Market Inefficiency and Household Labor Supply: Evidence from Social Security’s Survivors Benefits," NBER Working Papers 25586, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    • Handle: RePEc:nbr:nberwo:25586
    Note: AG LS PE
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Giulia Giupponi, 2019. "When income effects are large: labor supply responses and the value of welfare transfers," CEP Discussion Papers dp1651, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    2. Rabaté, Simon & Tréguier, Julie, 2024. "Labour supply and survivor insurance in the Netherlands," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    3. Simon Rabaté & Julie Tréguier, 2022. "Labor Supply Effects of Survivor Insurance: Evidence from Restricted Access to Survivor Benefits in the Netherlands," CPB Discussion Paper 437, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    4. García-Miralles, Esteban & Leganza, Jonathan M., 2024. "Joint retirement of couples: Evidence from discontinuities in Denmark," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 230(C).
    5. René Böheim & Michael Topf, 2020. "Unearned income and labor supply: Evidence from survivor pensions in Austria," Economics working papers 2020-27, Department of Economics, Johannes Kepler University Linz, Austria.
    6. Julie Tréguier & Simon Rabaté, 2021. "Survivors Benefits and Conjugal Behavior. Evidence from the Netherlands," EconomiX Working Papers 2021-16, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    7. Giupponi, Giulia, 2019. "When income effects are large: labor supply responses and the value of welfare transfers," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103424, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Julie Tréguier & Simon Rabaté, 2021. "Survivors Benefits and Conjugal Behavior. Evidence from the Netherlands," Institut des Politiques Publiques halshs-03156317, HAL.
    9. Kaan Celebi & Paul J.J. Welfens, 2021. "The Stock Market, Labor-Income Risk and Unemployment in the US: Empirical Findings and Policy Implications," EIIW Discussion paper disbei291, Universitätsbibliothek Wuppertal, University Library.
    10. Julie Tréguier & Simon Rabaté, 2021. "Survivors Benefits and Conjugal Behavior. Evidence from the Netherlands," Working Papers halshs-03156317, HAL.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D1 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior
    • D61 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Allocative Efficiency; Cost-Benefit Analysis
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies
    • H0 - Public Economics - - General
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • I1 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor

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