以「雇主退休金慷慨度的改變」分析美國退休金計畫制度改變趨勢對於員工退休所得的影響

Abstract

近年來有很多關於退休金計畫的研究主要在探討從確定給付計畫(defined benefit plan)轉向確定提撥計畫(defined contribution plan)趨勢的影響。而這些早期的研究(Clark and McDermed(1990 and 1993), Gustman and Steinmeier(1992), Ippolito(1985, 1986, 1993, and 1997), and Kruse (1995); Papke(1994, 1996)and Papke, Petersen and Poterba(1996)主要是利用計畫個數的改變或者是計畫參與者人數的增減來作為衡量此一趨勢影響力的指標。然而，這兩項指標從退休收入多寡的觀點來看，卻無法反應此一趨勢對於員工福利的影響程度。Wang andVanDerhei(2000)利用了「雇主退休金成本」的新概念，探討此一趨勢的影響。而本篇論文將要延續Wang and VanDerhei(2000)的研究，藉由衡量雇主慷慨程度的改變，進一步分析此一趨勢對於員工未來退休收入的影響程度。為了檢視雇主退休金慷慨度是否有隨著時間以及環境變化而有所不同，我們利用OLS迴歸模型來分析在兩段期問中（1985年與1996年）雇主退休金慷慨度的變化。結果發現在確定給付計畫及401(k)計畫之下，退休金計畫存在的時間愈長以及工會的支持對於雇主慷慨程度都有正面的影響。在財務變數方面，我們則是發現不論哪一種型態的退休金計畫，稅前收入金額的多寡對於雇主慷慨程度均具有正面的影響。此外，利用Chow Test，我們發現確定給付計畫在1985年和1996年的確具有結構上的改變，進一步分析之後，發現退休金計畫存在時間愈長、工會的支持、金融相關產業、固定資產佔總資產的比例以及稅前收入金額的多寡對於1996年確定給付計畫下之雇主退休金慷凱度的正向影響遠大其對於1985年的確定給付計畫。在員工退休福利上，我們則是發現401(k)計畫的雇主相對提撥率在過去20年有明顯地成長，這意味著401(k)計畫下的員工在過去20年裡的退休福利有明顯的增加。\n 關鍵字：退休金趨勢、雇主退休金慷慨度、確定給付計畫、確定提撥計畫、401(k)計畫

Much debate has devoted in recent pension literature to discuss the impacts of current pension trend toward defined contribution(DC) plans, especially the substitution effect between 401(k) and other pension plans. However, the“generosity”of the employer pension plan deserves little attention. This paper analyzes the impacts of the effects of this trend on workers` future retirement income by measuring the changes of employers` pension generosity. We construct a panel data of firms that sponsor at least one pension plan in 1985 and compare the changes of their pension generosity for DB, DC and 401(k) plans between 1985 and 1996. OLS Regression Models are adopted to analyze the generosity of employers` primary plan and supplemental plan and Chow test is conducted to test the structural changes between 1985 and 1996. Our results find that plan age and union status have positive impacts on employers` generosity ofDB and 401(k) plans. For financial variables, pretax income is an important consideration to employers` generosity disregarding the type of plan. In addition, we find that there was a structure change ofDB plans between 1985 and 1996 and that union status,plan age, financial etc. industry, proportion of fixed assets and pretax income have greater positive impacts on employers` generosity ofDB plans in 1996 than in 1985. For employees` retirement income, the matching rates have grown over the last two decades and this stands for that employees covered by 401(k) plans have received better retirement benefit over the last two decades.\n Key words: Pension trends; Employers` generosity; Defined benefit plan; Defined contribution plan; 401(k) plan