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Retirement plans and saving decisions: the role of information and education

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  • CLARK, ROBERT L.
  • d'AMBROSIO, MADELEINE B.
  • McDERMED, ANN A.
  • SAWANT, KSHAMA

Abstract

Increasingly, individuals are being required to take more responsibility for their own retirement saving. Lifecycle theories of resource allocation provide a framework to examine work, retirement, consumption, and saving decisions. However, optimal decision making requires adequate knowledge of financial mathematics, risk and return properties of investments, and expectations concerning wage growth and tax policy. This paper explores the response of individuals to financial education seminars. Using data from three surveys of participants in seminars offered by TIAA-CREF, we estimate changes in retirement goals and saving behavior after the respondents have attended a seminar which discusses keep components of saving for retirement. The results indicate that financial education can produce significant changes in how individuals think and plan for retirement. Throughout the analysis, women were found to be more responsive to the seminar and were more likely to raise their desired retirement age, increase their target income replacement goal, and alter their savings behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • CLARK, ROBERT L. & d'AMBROSIO, MADELEINE B. & McDERMED, ANN A. & SAWANT, KSHAMA, 2006. "Retirement plans and saving decisions: the role of information and education," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 5(1), pages 45-67, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jpenef:v:5:y:2006:i:01:p:45-67_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Neubert, Milena & Bannier, Christina E., 2016. "Actual and perceived financial sophistication and wealth accumulation: The role of education and gender," VfS Annual Conference 2016 (Augsburg): Demographic Change 145593, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    2. Lucas Goodman & Anita Mukherjee & Shanthi Ramnath, 2022. "Set it and Forget it? Financing Retirement in an Age of Defaults," Working Paper Series WP 2022-50, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    3. Angelici, Marta & Del Boca, Daniela & Oggero, Noemi & Profeta, Paola & Rossi, Maria Cristina & Villosio, Claudia, 2022. "Pension information and women’s awareness," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 23(C).
    4. Billari, Francesco C. & Favero, Carlo A. & Saita, Francesco, 2023. "Online financial and demographic education for workers: Experimental evidence from an Italian Pension Fund," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    5. Ghafoori, Eraj & Ip, Edwin & Kabátek, Jan, 2021. "The impacts of a large-scale financial education intervention on retirement saving behaviors and portfolio allocation: Evidence from pension fund data," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    6. Bannier, Christina E. & Schwarz, Milena, 2017. "Skilled but unaware of it: Occurrence and potential long-term effects of females' financial underconfidence," VfS Annual Conference 2017 (Vienna): Alternative Structures for Money and Banking 168188, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    7. Goodman, Lucas & Mukherjee, Anita & Ramnath, Shanthi, 2023. "Set it and forget it? Financing retirement in an age of defaults," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 148(1), pages 47-68.
    8. Tabea Bucher-Koenen & Annamaria Lusardi & Rob Alessie & Maarten van Rooij, 2017. "How Financially Literate Are Women? An Overview and New Insights," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 255-283, July.
    9. Barrett, Alan & Mosca, Irene & Whelan, Brendan J., 2013. "(Lack of) Pension Knowledge," IZA Discussion Papers 7596, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Robert L. Clark & Melinda Sandler Morrill & Steven G. Allen, 2012. "The Role Of Financial Literacy In Determining Retirement Plans," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 50(4), pages 851-866, October.
    11. Steven G. Allen & Robert L. Clark & Jennifer Maki & Melinda Sandler Morrill, 2013. "Golden Years or Financial Fears? Decision Making After Retirement Seminars," NBER Working Papers 19231, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Ivonne Honekamp, 2012. "Financial Literacy and Retirement Savings in Germany," NFI Working Papers 2012-WP-03, Indiana State University, Scott College of Business, Networks Financial Institute.
    13. Eduardo Fajnzylber & Gonzalo Reyes, 2015. "Knowledge, Information, and Retirement Saving Decisions: Evidence from a Large-Scale Intervention in Chile," Economía Journal, The Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association - LACEA, vol. 0(Spring 20), pages 83-117, February.
    14. Francesco C. Billari & Carlo A. Favero & Francesco Saita, 2017. "Nudging financial and demographic literacy: experimental evidence from an Italian Trade Union Pension Fund," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 1767, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.
    15. Tim Kaiser & Lukas Menkhoff, 2017. "Does Financial Education Impact Financial Literacy and Financial Behavior, and If So, When?," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 31(3), pages 611-630.
    16. Bohr, Clement E. & Holt, Charles A. & Schubert, Alexandra V., 2019. "Assisted savings for retirement: An experimental analysis," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 42-54.
    17. Xie, Xiaohong & Osińska, Magdalena & Szczepaniak, Małgorzata, 2023. "Do young generations save for retirement? Ensuring financial security of Gen Z and Gen Y," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 644-668.
    18. Robert Clark & Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2017. "Employee Financial Literacy And Retirement Plan Behavior: A Case Study," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 55(1), pages 248-259, January.
    19. Preecha Swasdpeera & I.M. Pandey, 2012. "Determinants of personal saving: a study of salaried individuals in Thailand," Afro-Asian Journal of Finance and Accounting, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 3(1), pages 34-68.
    20. Annamaria Lusardi & Pierre-Carl Michaud & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2015. "Using a Life Cycle Model to Evaluate Financial Literacy Program Effectiveness," Cahiers de recherche 1505, Chaire de recherche Industrielle Alliance sur les enjeux économiques des changements démographiques.
    21. Lusardi, Annamaria & Michaud, Pierre-Carl & Mitchell, Olivia S., 2020. "Assessing the impact of financial education programs: A quantitative model," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).

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