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On the Asset Allocation of a Default Pension Fund

Author

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  • MAGNUS DAHLQUIST
  • OFER SETTY
  • ROINE VESTMAN

Abstract

We characterize the optimal default fund in a defined contribution (DC) pension plan. Using detailed data on individuals' holdings inside and outside the pension system, we find substantial heterogeneity within and between passive and active investors in terms of labor income, financial wealth, and stock market participation. We build a life‐cycle consumption‐savings model, with a DC pension account and an opt‐out/default choice, that produces realistic investor heterogeneity. Relative to a common age‐based allocation, implementing the optimal default asset allocation implies a welfare gain of 1.5% during retirement. Much of the gain is attainable with a simple rule of thumb.

Suggested Citation

  • Magnus Dahlquist & Ofer Setty & Roine Vestman, 2018. "On the Asset Allocation of a Default Pension Fund," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 73(4), pages 1893-1936, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jfinan:v:73:y:2018:i:4:p:1893-1936
    DOI: 10.1111/jofi.12697
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    Cited by:

    1. Balter, Anne G. & Schweizer, Nikolaus, 2024. "Robust decisions for heterogeneous agents via certainty equivalents," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 317(1), pages 171-184.
    2. Khemka, Gaurav & Steffensen, Mogens & Warren, Geoffrey J., 2021. "How sub-optimal are age-based life-cycle investment products?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    3. Xu, Mengyi & Alonso-García, Jennifer & Sherris, Michael & Shao, Adam W., 2023. "Insuring longevity risk and long-term care: Bequest, housing and liquidity," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 121-141.
    4. Marta Cota, 2023. "Extrapolative Income Expectations and Retirement Savings," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp751, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    5. Anne G. Balter & Nikolaus Schweizer, 2021. "Robust Decisions for Heterogeneous Agents via Certainty Equivalents," Papers 2106.13059, arXiv.org.
    6. Andrey Kudryavtsev & Shosh Shahrabani & Yaniv Azoulay, 2017. "Frequency of Adjusting Asset Allocations in the Life-Cycle Pension Model: When Doing More Is Not Necessarily Better," Bulletin of Applied Economics, Risk Market Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 13-33.
    7. Francisco Gomes & Michael Haliassos & Tarun Ramadorai, 2021. "Household Finance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 59(3), pages 919-1000, September.
    8. Lanying Sun & Changhao Su & Xinghui Xian, 2020. "Assessing the Sustainability of China’s Basic Pension Funding for Urban and Rural Residents," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(7), pages 1-17, April.
    9. Noureddine Benlagha & Wafa Abdelmalek, 2024. "Dynamic connectedness between energy and agricultural commodities: insights from the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia–Ukraine conflict," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 14(3), pages 781-825, September.
    10. Yang Bai & Shize Li & Jialu Shen, 2025. "Homeownership as Life Cycle Goldmine: Evidence from Macrohistory," Papers 2507.17624, arXiv.org, revised May 2026.
    11. Khemka, Gaurav & Steffensen, Mogens & Warren, Geoffrey J., 2024. "A buy-hold-sell pension saving strategy," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 1-16.
    12. Anna (Ania) Zalewska, 2022. "Saving with Group or Individual Personal Pension Schemes: How Much Difference Does It Make?," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(7), pages 5384-5402, July.
    13. Francisco Gomes & Alexander Michaelides & Yuxin Zhang, 2022. "Tactical Target Date Funds," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 68(4), pages 3047-3070, April.
    14. Baeckström, Ylva & Tosun, Onur Kemal & Riefler, Raul, 2024. "Wealth as a moderating effect on gender differences in portfolio holdings," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    15. Michaelides, Alexander & Zhang, Yuxin, 2022. "Life-cycle portfolio choice with imperfect predictors," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    16. Gaurav Khemka & Yifu Tang & Geoffrey J. Warren, 2021. "The ‘right’ level for the superannuation guarantee: identifying the key considerations," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(3), pages 4435-4474, September.
    17. Butt, Adam & Khemka, Gaurav & Warren, Geoffrey J., 2022. "Heterogeneity in optimal investment and drawdown strategies in retirement," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    18. Artem Dyachenko & Patrick Ley & Marc Oliver Rieger & Alexander F. Wagner, 2022. "The asset allocation of defined benefit pension plans: the role of sponsor contributions," Journal of Asset Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 23(5), pages 376-389, September.
    19. Yundan Guo & Li Shen, 2023. "Commercial Retirement FOFs in China: Investment and Persistence Performance Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-22, September.
    20. Ng, Tak Wa & Nguyen, Thai, 2025. "Pareto efficiency and financial fairness under limited expected loss constraint," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    21. Zalewska, Anna (Ania) & Zhang, Yue, 2020. "Mutual funds' exits, financial crisis and Darwin," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    22. Blake, David & Duffield, Mel & Tonks, Ian & Haig, Alistair & Blower, Dean & MacPhee, Laura, 2022. "Smart defaults: Determining the number of default funds in a pension scheme," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(4).
    23. Taha Choukhmane, 2025. "Default Options and Retirement Saving Dynamics," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 115(11), pages 3749-3787, November.
    24. Kosuke Aoki & Alexander Michaelides & Kalin Nikolov & Yuxin Zhang, 2026. "Inflation, Money Demand, and Portfolio Choice," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 72(2), pages 853-873, February.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions

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