IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/dyncon/v30y2006i5p843-877.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Stochastic lifestyling: Optimal dynamic asset allocation for defined contribution pension plans

Author

Listed:
  • Cairns, Andrew J.G.
  • Blake, David
  • Dowd, Kevin

Abstract

This paper considers the asset-allocation strategies open to members of defined- contribution pension plans. We investigate a model that incorporates three sources of risk: asset risk and salary (or labour-income) risk in the accumulation phase; and interest-rate risk at the point of retirement. We propose a new form of terminal utility function, incorporating habit formation, that uses the plan member's final salary as a numeraire. The paper discusses various properties and characteristics of the optimal stochastic asset-allocation strategy (which we call stochastic lifestyling) both with and without the presence of non-hedgeable salary risk. We compare the performance of stochastic lifestlying with some popular strategies used by pension providers, including deterministic lifestyling (which involves a gradual switch from equities to bonds according to preset rules) and static strategies that invest in benchmark mixed funds. We find that the use of stochastic lifestyling significantly enhances the welfare of a wide range of potential plan members relative to these other strategies.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Cairns, Andrew J.G. & Blake, David & Dowd, Kevin, 2006. "Stochastic lifestyling: Optimal dynamic asset allocation for defined contribution pension plans," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 843-877, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:dyncon:v:30:y:2006:i:5:p:843-877
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165-1889(05)00073-4
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to look for a different version below or search for a different version of it.

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Larry G. Epstein & Stanley E. Zin, 2013. "Substitution, risk aversion and the temporal behavior of consumption and asset returns: A theoretical framework," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Leonard C MacLean & William T Ziemba (ed.), HANDBOOK OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF FINANCIAL DECISION MAKING Part I, chapter 12, pages 207-239, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    2. Merton, Robert C., 1971. "Optimum consumption and portfolio rules in a continuous-time model," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 373-413, December.
    3. Pratt, John W & Zeckhauser, Richard J, 1987. "Proper Risk Aversion," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 55(1), pages 143-154, January.
    4. Constantinides, George M, 1990. "Habit Formation: A Resolution of the Equity Premium Puzzle," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(3), pages 519-543, June.
    5. Cox, John C. & Huang, Chi-fu, 1991. "A variational problem arising in financial economics," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 465-487.
    6. Kimball, Miles S, 1993. "Standard Risk Aversion," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 61(3), pages 589-611, May.
    7. Sundaresan, Suresh M, 1989. "Intertemporally Dependent Preferences and the Volatility of Consumption and Wealth," Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 2(1), pages 73-89.
    8. Merton, Robert C, 1969. "Lifetime Portfolio Selection under Uncertainty: The Continuous-Time Case," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 51(3), pages 247-257, August.
    9. Cairns, Andrew, 2000. "Some Notes on the Dynamics and Optimal Control of Stochastic Pension Fund Models in Continuous Time," ASTIN Bulletin, Cambridge University Press, vol. 30(1), pages 19-55, May.
    10. Sundaresan, Suresh & Zapatero, Fernando, 1997. "Valuation, Optimal Asset Allocation and Retirement Incentives of Pension Plans," Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 10(3), pages 631-660.
    11. Gollier, Christian & Pratt, John W, 1996. "Risk Vulnerability and the Tempering Effect of Background Risk," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 64(5), pages 1109-1123, September.
    12. Blake, David & Cairns, Andrew J. G. & Dowd, Kevin, 2001. "Pensionmetrics: stochastic pension plan design and value-at-risk during the accumulation phase," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 187-215, October.
    13. Black, Fischer & Perold, AndreF., 1992. "Theory of constant proportion portfolio insurance," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 16(3-4), pages 403-426.
    14. Duffie, Darrell & Fleming, Wendell & Soner, H. Mete & Zariphopoulou, Thaleia, 1997. "Hedging in incomplete markets with HARA utility," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 21(4-5), pages 753-782, May.
    15. Griselda Deelstra & Martino Grasselli & Pierre-François Koehl, 2000. "Optimal investment strategies in a CIR framework," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/7594, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    16. Boulier, Jean-Francois & Huang, ShaoJuan & Taillard, Gregory, 2001. "Optimal management under stochastic interest rates: the case of a protected defined contribution pension fund," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 28(2), pages 173-189, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Guiso, Luigi & Sodini, Paolo, 2013. "Household Finance: An Emerging Field," Handbook of the Economics of Finance, in: G.M. Constantinides & M. Harris & R. M. Stulz (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Finance, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 1397-1532, Elsevier.
    2. Suresh M. Sundaresan, 2000. "Continuous‐Time Methods in Finance: A Review and an Assessment," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 55(4), pages 1569-1622, August.
    3. Weinbaum, David, 2005. "Subsistence consumption, habit formation and the demand for long-term bonds," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 57(4), pages 273-287.
    4. Letendre, Marc-Andre & Smith, Gregor W., 2001. "Precautionary saving and portfolio allocation: DP by GMM," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 197-215, August.
    5. Andrei Semenov, 2003. "High-Order Consumption Moments and Asset Pricing," Working Papers 2003_4, York University, Department of Economics, revised Jan 2005.
    6. Francesco, MENONCIN, 2003. "Optimal Real Consumption and Asset Allocation for a HARA Investor with Labour Income," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2003015, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    7. Munk, Claus, 2008. "Portfolio and consumption choice with stochastic investment opportunities and habit formation in preferences," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 32(11), pages 3560-3589, November.
    8. Hong‐Chih Huang, 2010. "Optimal Multiperiod Asset Allocation: Matching Assets to Liabilities in a Discrete Model," Journal of Risk & Insurance, The American Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 77(2), pages 451-472, June.
    9. Francisco Gomes & Michael Haliassos & Tarun Ramadorai, 2021. "Household Finance," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 59(3), pages 919-1000, September.
    10. Paolo BATTOCCHIO, 2002. "Optimal Portfolio Strategies with Stochastic Wage Income : The Case of A defined Contribution Pension Plan," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2002005, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    11. Jiang, Chonghui & Ma, Yongkai & An, Yunbi, 2013. "International portfolio selection with exchange rate risk: A behavioural portfolio theory perspective," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 648-659.
    12. John Y. Campbell, 2003. "Two Puzzles of Asset Pricing and Their Implications for Investors," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 47(1), pages 48-74, March.
    13. Francesco, MENONCIN, 2002. "Investment Strategies in Incomplete Markets : Sufficient Conditions for a Closed Form Solution," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2002033, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    14. John Y. Campbell, 2000. "Asset Pricing at the Millennium," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 55(4), pages 1515-1567, August.
    15. Bruhn, Kenneth & Steffensen, Mogens, 2013. "Optimal smooth consumption and annuity design," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(8), pages 2693-2701.
    16. van Bilsen, Servaas & Laeven, Roger J.A., 2020. "Dynamic consumption and portfolio choice under prospect theory," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 224-237.
    17. Thomas Q. Pedersen, 2008. "Intertemporal Asset Allocation with Habit Formation in Preferences: An Approximate Analytical Solution," CREATES Research Papers 2008-60, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University.
    18. Luis M. Viceira, 2001. "Optimal Portfolio Choice for Long‐Horizon Investors with Nontradable Labor Income," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 56(2), pages 433-470, April.
    19. Christos I. Giannikos & Georgios Koimisis, 2021. "Equity Premium with Habits, Wealth Inequality and Background Risk," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-15, July.
    20. Paolo BATTOCCHIO & Francesco MENONCIN, 2002. "Optimal Pension Management under Stochastic Interest Rates, Wages, and Inflation," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2002021, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions
    • G23 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Non-bank Financial Institutions; Financial Instruments; Institutional Investors
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:dyncon:v:30:y:2006:i:5:p:843-877. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/jedc .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.