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Subjective Life Horizon and Portfolio Choice

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  • Spaenjers , Christophe
  • Spira, Sven Michael

Abstract

Using data from a U.S. household survey, we examine the empirical relation between subjective life horizon (i.e., the self-reported expectation of remaining life span) and portfolio choice. We find that equity portfolio shares are higher for investors with longer horizons, ceteris paribus, in line with theoretical predictions. This result is robust to controlling for optimism and health status, accounting for the endogeneity of equity market participation, or instrumenting subjective life horizon with parental survival. Finally, we show that bequest motives can offset the effects of a shortening horizon on portfolio allocation.

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  • Spaenjers , Christophe & Spira, Sven Michael, 2013. "Subjective Life Horizon and Portfolio Choice," HEC Research Papers Series 985, HEC Paris.
    • Handle: RePEc:ebg:heccah:0985
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    Cited by:

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    2. Ye, Zihan & Zou, Xiaopeng & Post, Thomas & Mo, Weiqiao & Yang, Qianqian, 2022. "Too old to plan? Age identity and financial planning among the older population of China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    3. Drouhin, Nicolas, 2020. "Non-stationary additive utility and time consistency," Journal of Mathematical Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1-14.
    4. Ye, Zihan & Post, Thomas, 2020. "What age do you feel? – Subjective age identity and economic behaviors," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 322-341.
    5. Sarah Brown & Dan Gray & Mark N. Harris & Christopher Spencer, 2016. "Portfolio Allocation, Income Uncertainty and Households' Flight from Risk," Working Papers 2016012, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    6. Nicolas Drouhin, 2016. "Non stationary additive utility and time consistency," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) halshs-01238584, HAL.
    7. Lee, Minjoon, 2023. "Portfolio allocation over the life cycle with multiple late-in-life saving motives," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    8. Baeckström, Ylva & Marsh, Ian W. & Silvester, Joanne, 2021. "Variations in investment advice provision: A study of financial advisors of millionaire investors," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 188(C), pages 716-735.
    9. Kárpáti, Daniel, 2023. "Essays in finance & health," Other publications TiSEM 5505e140-1f4d-4f61-a5a5-e, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    10. Hurwitz, Abigail & Mitchell, Olivia S. & Sade, Orly, 2022. "Testing methods to enhance longevity awareness," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 466-475.
    11. Stöckel, Jannis & van Exel, Job & Brouwer, Werner B.F., 2023. "Adaptation in life satisfaction and self-assessed health to disability - Evidence from the UK," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 328(C).
    12. Choung, Youngjoo & Chatterjee, Swarn & Pak, Tae-Young, 2022. "Depression and financial planning horizon," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    13. Kárpáti, D.;, 2022. "Household Finance and Life-Cycle Economic Decisions under the Shadow of Cancer," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 22/16, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    14. Sofia Vale & Francisco Camões, 2017. "Housing valuation, wealth perception, and households’ portfolio composition," EcoMod2017 10565, EcoMod.
    15. Du, You, 2023. "Health investment and medical risk: New explanations of the portfolio puzzle," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    16. Døskeland, Trond & Kværner, Jens, 2022. "Cancer and portfolio choice: Evidence from Norwegian register data," Other publications TiSEM 9efe1b52-789e-496a-84de-4, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    17. Cheuk Hee Cheung & Tansel Yilmazer, 2019. "Wealth Management While Dealing with Memory Loss," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 470-485, September.
    18. Huang, H. & Milevsky, M.A. & Salisbury, T.S., 2017. "Retirement spending and biological age," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 58-76.
    19. Trond Døskeland & Jens Soerlie Kvaerner, 2022. "Cancer and Portfolio Choice: Evidence from Norwegian Register Data [The age of reason: financial decisions over the life cycle and implications for regulation]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 26(2), pages 407-442.
    20. Francisco Camões & Sofia Vale, 2018. "Housing Valuation, Wealth Perception, and Homeowners’ Portfolio Composition," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 39(3), pages 494-508, September.
    21. Okumura, Tsunao & Usui, Emiko, 2021. "Pension Expectations and Household Portfolio Choice of the Elderly in Japan," CIS Discussion paper series 694, Center for Intergenerational Studies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    22. Gabriela Topa & Inmaculada Pra, 2018. "Retirement Adjustment Quality: Optimism and Self-Efficacy as Antecedents of Resource Accumulation," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 13(4), pages 1015-1035, December.
    23. Bago d'Uva, Teresa & O'Donnell, Owen & van Doorslaer, Eddy, 2020. "Who can predict their own demise? Heterogeneity in the accuracy and value of longevity expectations☆," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    portfolio choice; investment horizon; subjective expectations; life expectancy; bequests;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • D80 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - General
    • 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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