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Aging, Asset Allocation, and Costs: Evidence for the Pension Fund Industry in Switzerland

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Author Info
David S. Gerber
René Weber
Abstract

This paper focuses on the nexus between pension funds' balance sheet liabilities, reflecting their age profile and payments obligations, and the investment behavior and costs of these funds. The context of the analysis is the stringent regulatory framework and the highly fragmented and heterogeneous pension fund landscape in Switzerland. Detailed data from the Swiss Pension Statistic are analyzed using multivariate OLS-regressions. The evidence shows that a younger age structure and lower short-term benefits payouts are related to a higher share of equities and lower real estate holdings. Legal form, pension plan type, and size are important for administrative costs. The findings support the view that aging may lead to increased risk aversion and thus to a lower engagement of institutional investors in equities.

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Paper provided by International Monetary Fund in its series IMF Working Papers with number 07/29.

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Length: 27 pages
Date of creation: 08 Feb 2007
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Handle: RePEc:imf:imfwpa:07/29

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Related research
Keywords: Pensions ; Switzerland ; Aging ; Resource allocation ; Investment ; Asset management ;

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    Other versions:
  2. Gregory H. Chun & Brian A. Ciochetti & James D. Shilling, 2000. "Pension-Plan Real Estate Investment in an Asset-Liability Framework," Real Estate Economics, American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association, vol. 28(3), pages 467-491. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  7. Peter Diamond, 1999. "Administrative Costs and Equilibrium Charges with Individual Accounts," NBER Working Papers 7050, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  8. Bakshi, Gurdip S & Chen, Zhiwu, 1994. "Baby Boom, Population Aging, and Capital Markets," Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 67(2), pages 165-202, April. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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  10. James M. Poterba, 2001. "Demographic Structure And Asset Returns," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 83(4), pages 565-584, November. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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