The Causal Effect of Retirement on Health and Happiness
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SeriesBrown Bag Seminars General Economics
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SpeakerJan van Ours (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
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FieldEmpirical Microeconomics
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LocationErasmus University, Polak Building, Room 2-22
Rotterdam -
Date and time
October 02, 2019
12:00 - 13:00
Abstract: We study the retirement effects on health and happiness using a
fuzzy regression discontinuity design based on the eligibility age to the state
pension in the Netherlands. We find that the effects are heterogeneous by
gender and marital status. Retirement of partnered men positively affects both
themselves and their partner. Single men retiring experience a drop in
self-assessed health. Female retirement has hardly any effect on their health.
Partnered women experience an increase in happiness if their partner retires but,
if they themselves retire, their happiness drops. For single women, retirement
decreases happiness. The effects are also heterogeneous by education.
joint work with Matteo Picchio