In a situation when the first pillar of the pension system (a state pension) may face deficit and crisis over time, whilst the third pillar (voluntary retirement savings) does not grow at a desired speed, it seems proper to think about the introduction of the second pillar – forced retirement savings.
In its essence, this approach is a measure of coercive nature, but, at the same time, creates necessary preconditions for ensuring a better old age to quite a large group of people.
In this regard, the most acceptable model, regardless of shortcomings detected in it and problems created by the economic crisis, is still the Chilean pension model.
It is noteworthy that the social security system which also included Pay-As-You-Go pension system, was in effect since 1920 in Chile (in Georgia, as in part of the Soviet Union, this pension system became effective since the 1920s, though the Law on State Pensions was adopted in 1956). However, within 50 years of its enactment, by 1973, this system was almost bankrupt even though 73% of Chilean workers honestly paid the imposed tax.
Dodging pension contributions became a frequent occasion because hired employees did not see connection between contributions they paid and symbolic amounts paid as pensions.
The system was saved from a total fiasco by the 1980 reform which was launched during the rule of the President Augusto Pinochet and which replaced the distributive pension scheme with the gradual retirement savings model. Every person getting involved in the retirement savings scheme receives a personal account where contributions made by him/her are accumulated. These contributions are invested in various projects by private pension funds and they generate returns which, together with retirement contributions, are paid back to a person after he/she retires.
The transfer onto a savings model in Chile took several years. Young citizens were required to become participants in the retirement savings scheme. Those workers who had already paid their contributions to the distributive pension system were allowed to make a choice between the two models.
Those who opted for the distributive pension system receive basic state pensions. Those who decided to move to savings scheme, received government bonds compensating earlier contributions (these bonds have a flat rate of 4% benefit and when the holder of these bonds retires, the state buys the bonds out).
During the implementation of this reform, more than 90% of the population migrated from the old to the new pension system; this was mainly caused because of the 40-50% increase in pensions and almost halving of insurance payments (from the initial 19% to 10%, whilst in case of life and disability insurance – to 13%).
In parallel, a basic state pension continues to exist, which is ensured from the retirement reserve fund (this fund receives around 0.5% of the GDP from the state budget annually).
It is noteworthy that in 2008, during the rule of President Michelle Bachelet, the effective model of the Chilean pension system experienced several important changes following the recommendation of the World Bank.30 In particular, the analysis of the operation of the pension system revealed two serious problems: the coverage of population and high administrative costs. It transpired that the pension system still did not reach many people whilst accumulating monies by means of pension funds cost quite expensive and making retirement savings there loses sense for low income workers.
At the same time, frequent crises increased the number of those people who cannot finance their pensions because of lack of regular sources of income. As a result, many people fail to reach a mandatory minimum of 20 years of paying contributions which is necessary to receive a minimal pension.
Considering these circumstances, the World Bank drew up a recommendation for a notion of minimal pension and social security being entirely abolished and instead, a mechanism of response to risks being introduced, which will be financed from collected VAT taxes.
As a result, a minimal pension and social security was replaced by a solidarity pension system financed from taxes. Every citizen older than 65 years of age, who has lived in Chile for a minimum of 20 years and has not accumulated a minimal amount of pension, has the right to join the solidarity pension system.
At the same time, the legislation extended the list of those sectors and projects in which pension funds are allowed to invest (in order to ensure higher returns).
And finally, during the transitional period, which will last until 2015, every self-employed must be involved in the pension system.
After the departure of the left-wing President Bachelet, the government of current right-wing President of Chile, Sebastian Piaera, has continued the implementation of this reform, in other words, despite ideological differences, the legacy and irreversibility of reform is guaranteed.