The change of population structure demands changes in the pension systems. The aim of this master thesis is to present proposals for Slovenia, Switzerland and the Netherlands to adapt their pension systems to an ageing society and to examine the implications of raising the retirement age for the labour market and the pension system.
The descriptive method was used to describe the research problem, demographic changes, ageing societies, pension systems, implemented reforms, previous researches and conclusions. The comperative method was used to identify similarities and differences between the implemented pension reforms. With comperative method we compared economic indicators on the performance of the pension systems. The method of analysis was used to consider the implications of raising the retirement age for the labour market and the pension system. With the method of synthesis, we have gathered proposals or guidelines for improving the pension systems of Slovenia, Switzerland and the Netherlands.
Rising the retirement age has a positive impact on a pension systems and labour market participation of older workers. The old-age dependency ratio improves, labour supply increases and, in some cases, participation in other social insurances also rises. Raising the retirement age is one of the most effective measures to mitigate the effects of population ageing while adapting the labour market to an ageing population. The pension systems of Slovenia and Switzerland need urgent new reforms to improve sustainability.
The thesis serves as a study material for students, researchers and anyone interested in this topic. The data are also of interest to public policy makers and the general public, who can use the work to gain a quick insight into how the Netherlands and Switzerland are coping with reform and an ageing society, alongside Slovenia. The work provides ideas and guidelines for the development and future reforms of pension systems.
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