Future challenges of the Austrian pension system relate to the financial sustainability of public finances, issues of (intergenerational) fairness and labour market conditions in flux.
A major social challenge relates to the ongoing gender pension gap. Most promising for counter-steering seem to be ex ante measures in order to increase female labour market participation, contribution years, working hours and employment incomes as well as a containment of career breaks by means of an extension of institutional childcare and professional care for the elderly as well as a more gender-balanced distribution of unpaid work. Promising ex-post measures could consist of improving care-related credits as well as pension-splitting regulations for couples. However, careful balancing is required as a better crediting of child and elderly care periods could also prolong existing gender differences on the labour market.
Ö1 Radiokolleg – Problemfall: Pensionen, 12.1., 9:05: Gender pension gap and other fairness issues
Ö1 Radiokolleg – Problemfall: Pensionen, 14.1., 9:05: The future of pensions
