Pension Reforms and Taxation in Estonia

Ringa Raudla & Karsten Staehr

Abstract: Estonia completed its pension system reforms in 2002. The new 3-pillar system features a first pillar of universal state pension, a second pillar of funded supplementary pension and a third pillar of independent pension savings. The paper reviews the new pension system and the early experience. It also brings up a number of unsettled issues, in part stemming from the interplay between the pension and taxation systems. Albeit the new pension scheme has been successfully implemented, it is excessively complex and non-transparent. Certain groups could experience inadequate pension coverage. The public finances are in the short term adversely affected by lower payroll and income tax revenue. Any longer-term effects on economic performance are very uncertain and likely to stem primarily from changes in the labour supply.

Keywords: Pension reform, payroll taxes, savings, incentive effects.

JEL classification: G23, H55, O16.