Projects (129)
Netspar endows several research projects at any given time, ranging from € 10,000 to € 500,000. Below you will find more information about ongoing and completed projects. Researchers can submit proposals within the various calls for short-term and long-term research projects that Netspar expands during the year. For more information, please contact policy advisor Silvie van Halder via 013 – 466 37 93 or via email.
Theme (three-year)
The effect of macroprudential policies on pensions and retirement preparation
After the financial crisis, financial supervisors, such as the ECB and DNB, adopted several measures in order to enhance financial stability and economic recovery. Their primary aim was to prevent financial threats that lead to economic instability, but repercussions in the pension domain are very likely and need research. Pension funds, insurance companies and banks have been subject to targeted policies, the so called…
Theme (three-year)
How to elicit preferences for sustainable investments?
Recently, the EU delivered an action plan on financing sustainable growth in which “Sustainable Finance” is a key policy pillar. Several of the actions are directly related to the duties of institutional investors. Institutional investors need to integrate the preferences of their participants for sustainable investments into contractual arrangements. The action plan further explicitly demands policies on incorporating sustainability in investment advice. How can…
Theme (three-year)
Work and disability in old age: restrictions & incentives
This project analyzes work incentives and restrictions of older individuals and individuals with a work disability and investigates how they affect participation in and hours of paid work. Retirement reforms introduce tax credits, make deferring pension claims actuarially attractive, and increase the legal retirement age to stimulate labour market participation among older workers. In addition, provision of part-time work opportunities may also stimulate the…
Topicality (short-term)
Labor market effects of progressive contributions and degressive accrual
In this topicality project we are interested in the labor market effects of progressive pension premiums and decreasing pension accumulation rates, as an alternative for the Dutch system of age independent premiums and accumulation rates. We aim at gaining insight in how these will change wage costs, demand, and supply of older and younger workers. This implies that we need to know labor supply…
Theme (three-year)
The effectiveness of decision aids in pension communication and the role of literacy
This project investigates the effectiveness of decision aids in pension communication for participants of a pension scheme. Pension Decision Aids (PDAs) are interactive online tools that through a sequence of questions and information guide participants towards making informed pension decisions. PDAs (1) explicitly state the decision that needs to be considered; (2) provide information about the options, associated benefits, risks, probabilities and uncertainties; (3)…
Comparative Research
Social Security and Retirement Around the World: Lessons from a Long-Term Collaboration
Public pension programs play a critical role in both retirement security and retirement decisions, creating financial incentives that may encourage or discourage work at older ages. Over the past several decades, many countries have enacted social security reforms in response to fiscal pressures. During the same period, virtually all developed economies have experienced rising male and female labor force participation rates at older ages….
Comparative Research
Private pension annuities out of savings or housing wealth? A comparative study of Italy and the Netherlands
The life-cycle model (Modigliani, 1960) predicts that people accumulate assets for consumption smoothing and thus to compensate possible income drops, especially upon retirement. This includes also housing that, as any other asset, can possibly be decumulated (or downsized) later in the life-cycle. Unanticipated wealth shocks (including shocks to housing wealth) should lead to a modification of the individuals’ consumption-saving path. There are factors that…
Topicality (short-term)
Consequences of the increase in the retirement age on occupational disability
The retirement age is tied to life expectancy in the Netherlands. A higher retirement age implies a larger share of elderly people in the labor force and more people claiming disability benefits, regardless of how much the life expectancy increases. Furthermore, since the duration of the disability benefit lasts until the statutory retirement age, a higher statutory retirement age means more time spent in…
Topicality (short-term)
Target group analysis of variable benefit schemes
Since 2016, it has been possible to continue to invest in the payment phase of (improved) premium schemes. The variable benefit offers a higher (starting) benefit, but with more uncertainty. Does this meet the participant’s need on retirement date and how is the variability of the benefit perceived? What are the issues that are important for a participant in retirement? And on the basis…
Topicality (short-term)
Design of the variable benefits and guarantees in personal pension
Since 2016, it has been possible to continue to invest in the payment phase of (improved) premium schemes. The variable benefit offers a higher (starting) benefit, but with more uncertainty. In the event of a collective allocation in a personal pension (Shell variant; current SER discussion), the annual income adjustments are the same for all participants. An alternative is to offer participants from a…