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Retirement savings investment choices: Sophisticated or naive?

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  • Gerrans, Paul
  • Yap, Ghialy

Abstract

We assess investment sophistication in a large sample of auto-enrolled, retirement plan member choices. A strong preference for using a small number of investment options is provided with little evidence, overall, to support equally weighted allocations. However, when multiple options are selected, one-third are equally weighted allocations and this is more prevalent when an easily divisible number of options are used. Positive learning is suggested in patterns of choices with sophisticated choice more likely in later choices. Possible consequences of menu framing, specifically menu size, do not support influence on effective asset allocations.

Suggested Citation

  • Gerrans, Paul & Yap, Ghialy, 2014. "Retirement savings investment choices: Sophisticated or naive?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 233-250.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pacfin:v:30:y:2014:i:c:p:233-250
    DOI: 10.1016/j.pacfin.2014.10.005
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    Cited by:

    1. Gerrans, Paul & Moulang, Carly & Feng, Jun & Strydom, Maria, 2018. "Individual and peer effects in retirement savings investment choices," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 150-165.
    2. Arvid O. I. Hoffmann & Thomas Post & Tom Smith, 2017. "How return and risk experiences shape investor beliefs and preferences," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 57(3), pages 759-788, September.
    3. Chiu, Yu-Fen & Hsieh, Ming-Hua & Tsai, Chenghsien, 2019. "Valuation and analysis on complex equity indexed annuities," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    4. Chek. M. Z. A & Ismail. I., 2023. "Retirement Planning Issues, Problems, and Opportunities in Malaysia," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 7(9), pages 1926-1932, September.
    5. Peng, Xiaowen & Alpert, Karen & Hsu, Grace Chia-Man, 2020. "Switching between superannuation funds: Does performance and marketing matter?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Investment choice; Naive diversification; Sophistication; Household finance; Retirement; Superannuation; Learning;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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