Spousal pension as a proposal to reduce income disproportion between pensioners and as an alternative to survivor's and widow's pensions
Spousal pension as a proposal to reduce income disproportion between pensioners and as an alternative to survivor's and widow's pensions

Summary/Abstract: How to save and what to invest in so that you do not lose out and can live with confidence in old age? The value of global pension assets decreased by 16.7% in 2022 (Thinking Ahead Institute, 2023, 6), and the global gap between expected and actual retiree income (the so-called global pension gap) is growing (reaching USD 51 billion in 2020 (Global Federation of Insurance Associations, 2023:10)). With the development of civilization, life expectancy is increasing in many countries, and with it the risk of longevity and undervalued pensions. As a result, birth rates are decreasing in many countries and populations are shrinking as well as ageing. In addition, certain gender stereotypes (e.g. women work less than men because of family care) have led to income differences between women and men, a gender pension gap, and the risk of social exclusion and poverty. To reduce these, survivors' benefits (e.g. survivors' and widows' pensions) have been introduced in Poland. Is the level of these benefits appropriate to guarantee a satisfactory standard of living for widows and widowers? This paper examines this issue from the perspective of women and explores innovative spousal pensions which could reduce state budget expenditure.

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