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Wealth and the effect of subjective survival probability

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  • Sanna Nivakoski

    (University College Dublin)

Abstract

The life cycle hypothesis predicts that a longer life expectancy should, ceteris paribus, lead to the accumulation of more wealth during a working life to fund consumption in retirement. The prediction is tested by examining whether subjective survival probability (SSP)—a proxy measure of self-assessed life expectancy—affects retirement wealth among the pre-retirement older population in Ireland. The estimated relationship is complicated due to the correlation between SSP and life table estimates of life expectancy. SSP is instrumented to address measurement error and reverse causality. The findings suggest that a higher SSP increases retirement wealth.

Suggested Citation

  • Sanna Nivakoski, 2020. "Wealth and the effect of subjective survival probability," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 33(2), pages 633-670, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:jopoec:v:33:y:2020:i:2:d:10.1007_s00148-019-00749-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s00148-019-00749-2
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    2. Grevenbrock, Nils, 2020. "Dispositional optimism (and pessimism), wealth, and stock market participation," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial wealth; Pension wealth; Life cycle hypothesis; Longevity; Subjective survival probability; Retirement savings;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D84 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Expectations; Speculations
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making

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