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Marriage and Other Risky Assets: A Portfolio Approach

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  • Bertocchi, Graziella

    (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia)

  • Brunetti, Marianna

    (University of Rome Tor Vergata)

  • Torricelli, Costanza

    (University of Modena and Reggio Emilia)

Abstract

We study the joint impact of gender and marital status on financial decisions. First, we test the hypothesis that marriage represents - in a portfolio framework - a sort of safe asset, and that this effect is stronger for women. Controlling for a number of observable characteristics, we show that single women have a lower propensity to invest in risky assets than married females and males. Second, we show that the differential behavior of single women evolves over time, reflecting the increasing incidence of divorce and the expansion of female labor market participation. In particular, towards the end of our sample period, we observe a reduction in the gap between women with different family status, which can be attributed to the gradual erosion of the perception of marriage as a sort of safe asset. Our results therefore suggest that the differential behavior of single vs. married women can be explained by the evolution of gender roles in society, even after controlling for differential risk attitudes. Our empirical investigation is based on a dataset drawn from the 1989-2006 Bank of Italy Survey of Household Income and Wealth.

Suggested Citation

  • Bertocchi, Graziella & Brunetti, Marianna & Torricelli, Costanza, 2009. "Marriage and Other Risky Assets: A Portfolio Approach," IZA Discussion Papers 3975, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp3975
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    divorce; marriage; labor force participation; portfolio choice;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

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