Katherine Is 60 Years Old and Is Bargaining with Her

question 88

Essay

Katherine is 60 years old and is bargaining with her employer over deferred compensation. In exchange for reducing her current year's salary by $50,000, she can receive a lump-sum amount in 5 years, when she will retire. If she receives the $50,000 in the current year, she will invest in certificates of deposit that yield 5%. Katherine is in the 28% marginal tax bracket in all relevant years. What is the minimum amount Katherine should accept as a deferred pay option? [Hint: the compound interest factor is 1.1934.]

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Definitions:

Society's Interests

The collective well-being and preferences of a community or nation, which may encompass economic prosperity, environmental sustainability, and social justice.

Coordination Problem

A coordination problem occurs when parties involved in an economic activity struggle to choose their strategies in a manner that leads to an optimal outcome for all due to a lack of information or a misalignment of incentives.

Centrally Planned Economies

Economic systems where all production, investment, prices, and incomes are determined by the government or a central authority.

Invisible Hand

A metaphor introduced by Adam Smith to describe how individuals' pursuit of self-interest can lead to societal benefits through the efficient allocation of resources.