Social Security and Retirement Timing: Evidence from a National Sample of Teachers

42 Pages Posted: 31 Dec 2018 Last revised: 8 Jun 2023

See all articles by Melinda Sandler Morrill

Melinda Sandler Morrill

North Carolina State University - Department of Economics

John Westall

North Carolina State University

Date Written: December 2018

Abstract

This study documents an important role for Social Security income in workers' retirement timing. About 40 percent of public school teachers are not covered by Social Security. This provides an opportunity to analyze the causal impact of Social Security on retirement timing by comparing covered and non-covered teachers. Using individual-level data from the American Community Survey, we find robust evidence of higher rates of retirement among covered teachers at Social Security eligibility ages. This pattern is confirmed using an alternative regression model of participation in the teacher labor force. These estimates suggest that, should the federal government mandate full inclusion in Social Security for all public sector workers, the retirement timing patterns of newly covered teachers and other public sector workers would likely change.

Suggested Citation

Morrill, Melinda Sandler and Westall, John, Social Security and Retirement Timing: Evidence from a National Sample of Teachers (December 2018). NBER Working Paper No. w25411, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3308420

Melinda Sandler Morrill (Contact Author)

North Carolina State University - Department of Economics ( email )

Raleigh, NC 27695-8110
United States
9195150331 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://www4.ncsu.edu/~msmorril

John Westall

North Carolina State University

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
9
Abstract Views
318
PlumX Metrics