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Risk-return preferences in the pension domain: are people able to choose?

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Author Info
Maarten van Rooij
Clemens Kool
Henriëtte Prast

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Abstract

In this paper we investigate pension preferences and the effect of individual freedom of choice on risk taking in the context of pension arrangements based on a representative survey of about 1000 Dutch citizens. The attitude towards pension schemes and portfolio choices is explained by individual characteristics. Our main conclusions are the following. Risk aversion is domain dependent and highest in the pension domain. The vast majority of respondents is in favour of compulsory saving for retirement and favours a defined benefit pension system. If offered a combined defined benefit/defined contribution system, the majority of the respondents would like to have a guaranteed pension income of 70% or more of their net labour income. Self-assessed risk tolerance and financial expertise are important explanatory variables of pension system attitude. Respondents are on average conservative in their investment policy. If given investor autonomy, they are willing to change the composition of their retirement savings portfolio in response to their personal financial situation, general economic conditions, and expectations of financial markets. Respondents may be inconsistent in their preferences. Especially respondents who have chosen a relatively safe portfolio (less stock, more bonds) appear to prefer the retirement income streams of the median investment portfolio to their own portfolio choice. Finally, the average respondent considers himself financially unsophisticated, but is not very eager to take control of retirement savings investment when offered the possibility to increase expertise.

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Paper provided by Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department in its series DNB Working Papers with number 025.

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Date of creation: Jan 2005
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Handle: RePEc:dnb:dnbwpp:025

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Find related papers by JEL classification:
D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General
G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies

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References listed on IDEAS
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  1. M.C.J. van Rooij & A.H. Siegmann & P.J.G. Vlaar, 2004. "Palmnet: A pension asset and liability model for the Netherlands," WO Research Memoranda (discontinued) 760, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
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  14. James J. Choi & David Laibson & Brigitte C. Madrian & Andrew Metrick, 2001. "For Better or For Worse: Default Effects and 401(k) Savings Behavior," NBER Working Papers 8651, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  18. Olivia S. Mitchell & Michael Gordon & Marc M. Twinney, . "Assessing the Challenges to the Pension System," Pension Research Council Working Papers 95-1, Wharton School Pension Research Council, University of Pennsylvania.
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  20. Samuelson, William & Zeckhauser, Richard, 1988. " Status Quo Bias in Decision Making," Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 7-59, March.
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  23. Gustman, Alan L. & Steinmeier, Thomas L., 1999. "Effects of pensions on savings: analysis with data from the health and retirement study," Carnegie-Rochester Conference Series on Public Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 271-324, June. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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Cited by:
(explanations, Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.)

  1. Robert Paul Berben & Kerstin Bernoth & Mauro Mastrogiacomo, 2006. "Households' Response to Wealth Changes: Do Gains or Losses make a Difference?," DNB Working Papers 090, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  2. Maarten van Rooij & Federica Teppa, 2008. "Choice or No Choice: What explains the Attractiveness of Default Options?," DNB Working Papers 165, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
  3. Maarten van Rooij & Annamaria Lusardi & Rob Alessie, 2007. "Financial Literacy and Stock Market Participation," Working Papers 07-23, Utrecht School of Economics. [Downloadable!]
    Other versions:
  4. Allard Bruinshoofd & Sybille Grob, 2006. "Do changes in pension incentives affect retirement? A stated preferences approach to Dutch retirement consideration," DNB Working Papers 115, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department. [Downloadable!]
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