Previous studies have identified a causal relationship between pension eligibility for the elderly and an improvement in education-related outcomes of co-residing children. In contrast to the often generous schemes considered before, this study investigates the effects of a non-contributory pension scheme in Thailand that grants much smaller benefits. Our empirical analysis exploits a reform which expanded the scheme from a targeted program to universal coverage. Using a generalized difference-in-difference model, we provide evidence that gaining eligibility for the scheme can affect work status and literacy of children living with eligible pensioners, while not actually raising total net household income. The effect sizes we find for older children in our sample are within the range of those estimated from more generous schemes. Younger children do not benefit from the reform.

先前的研究已经确定了老年人的退休金资格与同居儿童的教育相关成果有所改善之间的因果关系。与以前考虑的通常慷慨的计划相比，本研究调查了泰国的非缴费型养老金计划所产生的影响，该计划的收益要小得多。我们的经验分析采用了一项改革，将计划从目标计划扩展到了全民覆盖。使用广义的差异模型，我们提供的证据表明，获得该计划的资格可能会影响有资格的养老金领取者生活的儿童的工作状况和识字率，而实际上并未增加家庭净总收入。我们在样本中发现的年龄较大的孩子的影响大小在更慷慨的方案估计的范围内。