Retirement options under the Swedish national pension system

This article reviews the retirement options available to Swedes aged 60 to 64 under their national pension system. Summaries of the various options are followed by an analysis of the relative attractiveness of each option using hypothetical 60-year-old workers with varying characteristics. The proportion of 60- to 64-year-old Swedes selecting each option corresponds closely to the relative attractiveness orderings computed for these hypothetical workers. Sweden has a unique pension alternative called the partial pension program that allows workers aged 60-64 to reduce their hours of work to within prescribed limits and receive a pension equal to half the earnings they lost. The Swedish experience with this popular pension is described in some detail.