Gender Differences in Retirement Behavior: How Human Capital and Family Explain Retirement Decisions in Chile

Andrea Canales , Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Instituto de Sociologia
Viviana Salinas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Andres Biehl, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Whilst there is vast research on the Chilean pension system and its financial sustainability, our knowledge is limited in relation to gender differences in retirement and the determinants of these gaps. This study seeks to address this gap. Employing data from the Longitudinal Survey of Social protection (LSSP), we conduct survival analyses to (a) estimate differences in the risk of retirement between men and women, and to (b) investigate how the decision of retirement is influenced by work, family, and pension regimes. We analyze how the patterns of gender inequalities in Chile hold against traditional explanations of retirement in advanced economies, in contexts with higher rates of female employment and more progressive welfare systems. Our findings show that women have a higher risk of retirement. Work and family characteristics have differential effects on men and women. We find strong evidence of compensatory effects for men but not for women.

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 Presented in Session 94. Cross-National Studies of Retirement Policies and Processes