IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/cir/cirwor/2021s-36.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Financial Literacy and the Timing of Tax-Preferred Savings Account Withdrawals

Author

Listed:
  • Marianne Laurin
  • Derek Messacar
  • Pierre-Carl Michaud

Abstract

Tax deductions on contributions to registered savings vehicles are a common policy tool used by governments in many industrialized countries to encourage people to save for retirement. However, these plans do not typically lock in funds, which means savers may also withdraw before retirement when their marginal tax rates are still high and forgo the tax benefit. In this paper, we investigate the extent to which pre-retirement savings withdrawals respond to changes in the net-of-tax benefit of withdrawing and whether such behavior depends on the saver’s financial literacy. To that end, we link respondents of a nationally representative financial capability survey from Canada to over 15 years of administrative tax data. Our results show that the correlation between savings withdrawals and the effective marginal tax rate is negative for those with higher financial literacy, but much weaker and sometimes statistically insignificant for those with lower financial literacy. The findings suggest that financial literacy is an important determinant of the extent to which tax-deductible savings plans are used efficiently. Les déductions fiscales sur les contributions aux véhicules d'épargne enregistrés sont un outil politique commun utilisé par les gouvernements de nombreux pays industrialisés pour encourager les gens à épargner pour leur retraite. Cependant, ces plans ne bloquent généralement pas les fonds, ce qui signifie que les épargnants peuvent également retirer leurs fonds avant la retraite lorsque leur taux d'imposition marginal est encore élevé et renoncer à l'avantage fiscal. Dans cet article, nous étudions dans quelle mesure les retraits d'épargne avant la retraite répondent à des changements dans l'avantage net d'impôt du retrait et si ce comportement dépend de la littératie financière de l'épargnant. À cette fin, nous relions les répondants d'une enquête sur les capacités financières représentative au niveau national au Canada à plus de 15 ans de données fiscales administratives. Nos résultats montrent que la corrélation entre les retraits d'épargne et le taux d'imposition marginal effectif est négative pour les personnes ayant une meilleure culture financière, mais beaucoup plus faible et parfois statistiquement non significative pour les personnes ayant une moindre culture financière. Les résultats suggèrent que la littératie financière est un déterminant important de la mesure dans laquelle les plans d'épargne déductibles de l'impôt sont utilisés efficacement.

Suggested Citation

  • Marianne Laurin & Derek Messacar & Pierre-Carl Michaud, 2021. "Financial Literacy and the Timing of Tax-Preferred Savings Account Withdrawals," CIRANO Working Papers 2021s-36, CIRANO.
    • Handle: RePEc:cir:cirwor:2021s-36
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://cirano.qc.ca/files/publications/2021s-36.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    Other versions of this item:

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Boisclair, David & Lusardi, Annamaria & Michaud, Pierre-Carl, 2017. "Financial literacy and retirement planning in Canada," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(3), pages 277-296, July.
    2. Alexandre Laurin & Finn Poschmann, 2010. "Saver's Choice: Comparing the Marginal Effective Tax Burdens on RRSPs and TFSAs," e-briefs 91, C.D. Howe Institute.
    3. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2014. "The Economic Importance of Financial Literacy: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 52(1), pages 5-44, March.
    4. Benjamin M. Miller & Kevin J. Mumford, 2015. "The Salience of Complex Tax Changes: Evidence From the Child and Dependent Care Credit Expansion," National Tax Journal, National Tax Association;National Tax Journal, vol. 68(3), pages 477-510, September.
    5. Annamarie Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2005. "Financial Literacy and Planning: Implications for Retirement Wellbeing," Working Papers wp108, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center.
    6. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S Mitchelli, 2007. "Financial Literacy and Retirement Preparedness: Evidence and Implications for Financial Education," Business Economics, Palgrave Macmillan;National Association for Business Economics, vol. 42(1), pages 35-44, January.
    7. Naomi E. Feldman & Peter Katuš?ák & Laura Kawano, 2016. "Taxpayer Confusion: Evidence from the Child Tax Credit," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(3), pages 807-835, March.
    8. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia Mitchell, 2006. "Financial Literacy and Retirement Preparedness: Evidence and Implications for Financial Education Programs," Working Papers wp144, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center.
    9. Lalime, Thomas & Michaud, Pierre-Carl, 2014. "Littératie financière et préparation à la retraite au Québec et dans le reste du Canada," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 90(1), pages 23-45, Mars.
    10. Sewin Chan & Ann Huff Stevens, 2008. "What You Don't Know Can't Help You: Pension Knowledge and Retirement Decision-Making," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 90(2), pages 253-266, May.
    11. Maarten C.J. van Rooij & Annamaria Lusardi & Rob J.M. Alessie, 2012. "Financial Literacy, Retirement Planning and Household Wealth," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 122(560), pages 449-478, May.
    12. Kwang-Yeol Yoo & Alain de Serres, 2004. "Tax Treatment of Private Pension Savings in OECD Countries and the Net Tax Cost Per Unit of Contribution to Tax-Favoured Schemes," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 406, OECD Publishing.
    13. Steeve Marchand, 2018. "Who Benefits from Tax-Preferred Savings Accounts?," Cahiers de recherche 1812, Chaire de recherche Industrielle Alliance sur les enjeux économiques des changements démographiques.
    14. Duclos, Jean-Yves & Fortin, Bernard & Fournier, Andrée-Anne, 2008. "Une analyse des taux marginaux effectifs d’imposition au Québec," L'Actualité Economique, Société Canadienne de Science Economique, vol. 84(1), pages 5-46, mars.
    15. Kevin Milligan, 2002. "Tax-preferred savings accounts and marginal tax rates: evidence on RRSP participation," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 35(3), pages 436-456, August.
    16. Michael R. Veall, 2014. "Estimates of the Number of Guaranteed Income Supplement Recipients Who Receive Income from Registered Retirement Savings Plans," Canadian Tax Journal, Canadian Tax Foundation, vol. 62(2), pages 383-399.
    17. Clark, Robert & Lusardi, Annamaria & Mitchell, Olivia S., 2017. "Financial knowledge and 401(k) investment performance: a case study," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(3), pages 324-347, July.
    18. Mitchell, Olivia S. & Lusardi, Annamaria (ed.), 2011. "Financial Literacy: Implications for Retirement Security and the Financial Marketplace," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199696819.
    19. repec:ecj:econjl:v:122:y:2012:i::p:449-478 is not listed on IDEAS
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Messacar, Derek, 2023. "Loss-averse tax manipulation and tax-preferred savings," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 207(C), pages 257-278.

    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. M. Martin Boyer & Philippe d’Astous & Pierre-Carl Michaud, 2019. "Tax-Sheltered Retirement Accounts: Can Financial Education Improve Decisions?," Cahiers de recherche 1902, Chaire de recherche Industrielle Alliance sur les enjeux économiques des changements démographiques.
    2. Raquel Fonseca & Simon Lord, 2020. "Canadian Gender Gap in Financial Literacy: Confidence Matters," Hacienda Pública Española / Review of Public Economics, IEF, vol. 235(4), pages 153-182, December.
    3. Paulo Pereira Silva & Victor Mendes, 2023. "Education and financial mistakes: The case of avoidable trading fees in stock markets," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 22(2), pages 173-202, May.
    4. M. Debbich, 2015. "Why Financial Advice Cannot Substitute for Financial Literacy?," Working papers 534, Banque de France.
    5. Azra Zaimovic & Anes Torlakovic & Almira Arnaut-Berilo & Tarik Zaimovic & Lejla Dedovic & Minela Nuhic Meskovic, 2023. "Mapping Financial Literacy: A Systematic Literature Review of Determinants and Recent Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-30, June.
    6. Florian Deuflhard & Dimitris Georgarakos & Roman Inderst, 2019. "Financial Literacy and Savings Account Returns," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 17(1), pages 131-164.
    7. Kadoya, Yoshihiko & Khan, Mostafa Saidur Rahim, 2020. "What determines financial literacy in Japan?," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 19(3), pages 353-371, July.
    8. Oscar A. Stolper & Andreas Walter, 2017. "Financial literacy, financial advice, and financial behavior," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 87(5), pages 581-643, July.
    9. Silvia Mariela Méndez-Prado & Vanessa Rodriguez & Kevin Peralta-Rizzo & Patricia Everaert & Martin Valcke, 2023. "An Assessment Tool to Identify the Financial Literacy Level of Financial Education Programs Participants’ Executed by Ecuadorian Financial Institutions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-24, January.
    10. Lührmann, Melanie & Serra-Garcia, Marta & Winter, Joachim, 2015. "Teaching teenagers in finance: Does it work?," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 160-174.
    11. Feng, Xiangnan & Lu, Bin & Song, Xinyuan & Ma, Shuang, 2019. "Financial literacy and household finances: A Bayesian two-part latent variable modeling approach," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 119-137.
    12. Buchholtz, Sonia & Gaska, Jan & Góra, Marek, 2018. "Pension Strategies of Workers in a Country Getting Old before Getting Rich," IZA Discussion Papers 11830, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    13. Iwa Kuchciak & Justyna Wiktorowicz, 2021. "Empowering Financial Education by Banks—Social Media as a Modern Channel," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-22, March.
    14. Agnese Romiti & Mariacristina Rossi, 2014. "Wealth decumulation, portfolio composition and financial literacy among European elderly," Carlo Alberto Notebooks 375, Collegio Carlo Alberto.
    15. Shen, Chung-Hua & Lin, Shih-Jie & Tang, De-Piao & Hsiao, Yu-Jen, 2016. "The relationship between financial disputes and financial literacy," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 46-65.
    16. Elisabet Ruiz-Dotras & Josep Lladós-Masllorens, 2022. "Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy and Financial and Calculation Skills Can Shape Different Profiles of Venture Intentions," Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in Emerging Economies, Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, vol. 31(1), pages 153-183, March.
    17. Noviarini, Jelita & Coleman, Andrew & Roberts, Helen & Whiting, Rosalind H., 2021. "Financial literacy, debt, risk tolerance and retirement preparedness: Evidence from New Zealand," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    18. García, Jesús María & Vila, José, 2020. "Financial literacy is not enough: The role of nudging toward adequate long-term saving behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 472-477.
    19. Lin, Chaonan & Hsiao, Yu-Jen & Yeh, Cheng-Yung, 2017. "Financial literacy, financial advisors, and information sources on demand for life insurance," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 218-237.
    20. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2008. "Planning and Financial Literacy: How Do Women Fare?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(2), pages 413-417, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    tax-preferred savings accounts; retirement savings; financial literacy; comptes d'épargne à fiscalité privilégiée; épargne-retraite; éducation financière;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G53 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Financial Literacy
    • G51 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Household Savings, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    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:cir:cirwor:2021s-36. 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: Webmaster (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/ciranca.html .

    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.