Few private defined benefit pension plans commit to indexing benefits after a worker begins receiving them.  Previous (now dated) research found that most plans did, nonetheless, make “voluntary” adjustments, which compensated for roughly 40 percent of the price increases experienced since retirement.  In analyzing changes in pension benefits reported by HRS respondents between 1994 and 2008, I find annual increases that are about one third of the increase in the CPI.  The increases are concentrated among respondents who report that their benefits are adjusted for inflation.  They are larger for workers in public administration than in other industries; perhaps surprisingly, they are not larger in jobs covered by union contracts than those in the non-union sector.  The HRS data also show that benefits paid out of defined contribution plans increased, again by roughly one third of the increase in consumer prices.

Privacy Overview
Kessler Scholars Collaborative

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful. You can read more in our Privacy Policy.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

Analytics

We use Google Analytics to collect anonymous information about how visitors interact with this website and the information we provide here, so that we can improve both over the long run. For more on how we use this information please see our privacy policy.