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Risk Aversion and Planning Horizons

Author

Listed:
  • Antoine Bommier
  • Jean-Charles Rochet

Abstract

A number of empirical studies seem to reject the additive separability of preferences that is assumed in most theoretical models of the life cycle. We show that, when additive separability is abandoned and interactions between consumptions at different dates are taken into account, an interesting relation emerges between risk aversion and length of the planning horizon.Specifically, we show that when consumptions at different dates are specific substitutes, risk aversion increases with horizon length. This may explain the surprising empirical finding that individuals seem to increase the share of wealth held in risky assets as they become older. (JEL: D11, D91, G11) Copyright (c) 2006 by the European Economic Association.

Suggested Citation

  • Antoine Bommier & Jean-Charles Rochet, 2006. "Risk Aversion and Planning Horizons," Journal of the European Economic Association, MIT Press, vol. 4(4), pages 708-734, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:jeurec:v:4:y:2006:i:4:p:708-734
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Anne Lavigne, 2006. "Gouvernance et investissement des fonds de pension privés aux Etats-Unis," Working Papers halshs-00081401, HAL.
    2. Antoine Bommier, 2010. "Portfolio Choice under Uncertain Lifetime," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 12(1), pages 57-73, February.
    3. Glenn W. Harrison, 2019. "The behavioral welfare economics of insurance," The Geneva Risk and Insurance Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Association for the Study of Insurance Economics (The Geneva Association), vol. 44(2), pages 137-175, September.
    4. Paolo Guasoni & Yu-Jui Huang, 2019. "Consumption, investment and healthcare with aging," Finance and Stochastics, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 313-358, April.
    5. Antoine Bommier, 2013. "Life-Cycle Preferences Revisited," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 11(6), pages 1290-1319, December.
    6. Brooks, Chris & Sangiorgi, Ivan & Hillenbrand, Carola & Money, Kevin, 2018. "Why are older investors less willing to take financial risks?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 52-72.
    7. Ton S van den Bremer & Frederick van der Ploeg, 2013. "Managing and Harnessing Volatile Oil Windfalls," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 61(1), pages 130-167, April.
    8. Brian Lucey & Charles Larkin, 2012. "Risk Tolerance and Demographic Characteristics: Preliminary Irish Evidence," The Institute for International Integration Studies Discussion Paper Series iiisdp406, IIIS.
    9. David Crainich, 2025. "The effect of wealth and health status on joint saving and insurance decisions," Post-Print hal-05538857, HAL.
    10. Marcela V. Parada‐Contzen, 2019. "The Value of a Statistical Life for Risk‐Averse and Risk‐Seeking Individuals," Risk Analysis, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 39(11), pages 2369-2390, November.
    11. Frederick Ploeg, 2010. "Political economy of prudent budgetary policy," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 17(3), pages 295-314, June.
    12. Skander J. Van den Heuvel, 2008. "Temporal Risk Aversion and Asset Prices," 2008 Meeting Papers 46, Society for Economic Dynamics.
    13. Marcela PARADA‐CONTZEN, 2023. "Gender, family status and health characteristics: Understanding retirement inequalities in the Chilean pension model," International Labour Review, International Labour Organization, vol. 162(2), pages 271-303, June.
    14. Frédéric Gonand, 2006. "Réforme des retraites, marchés financiers et investissement socialement responsable : les affinités électives," Revue d'Économie Financière, Programme National Persée, vol. 85(4), pages 285-294.
    15. Sunde, Uwe, 2023. "Age, longevity, and preferences," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 24(C).
    16. Brooks, Chris & Sangiorgi, Ivan & Hillenbrand, Carola & Money, Kevin, 2019. "Experience wears the trousers: Exploring gender and attitude to financial risk," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 483-515.
    17. Jeon, Junkee & Koo, Hyeng Keun & Shin, Yong Hyun, 2018. "Portfolio selection with consumption ratcheting," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 153-182.
    18. Antoine Bommier, 2008. "Rational Impatience ?," Working Papers hal-00441880, HAL.
    19. repec:dau:papers:123456789/6477 is not listed on IDEAS
    20. van der Ploeg, Frederick, 2009. "Prudent monetary policy and prediction of the output gap," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 217-230, June.
    21. Muzaffarjon Ahunov & Dilnovoz Abdurazzakova & Nurmukhammad Yusupov, 2019. "Who creates jobs in transition economies? The role of entrepreneurial risk preferences," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 39(3), pages 1876-1886.
    22. Liqun Liu & Andrew J. Rettenmaier & Thomas R. Saving, 2019. "Staying the Course or Rolling the Dice: Time Horizon’s Effect on the Propensity to Take Risk," Journal of Insurance Issues, Western Risk and Insurance Association, vol. 42(1), pages 66-85.
    23. Antoine Bommier, 2006. "Mortality, Time Preference and Life-Cycle Models," Working Papers hal-00441888, HAL.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • G11 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Portfolio Choice; Investment Decisions

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