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Explaining Why So Many Households Do Not Save

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  • Annamaria Lusardi

Abstract

There are vast differences in wealth holdings, even among households in similar age groups. In addition, a large percentage of U.S. households arrive close to retirement with little or no wealth. While many explanations can be found to rationalize these facts, approximately thirty percent of households whose head is close to retirement have done little or no planning for retirement. Planning is shaped by the experience of other individuals: individuals learn to plan for retirement from older siblings. They also learn from the experience of old parents. In particular, unpleasant events, such as financial difficulties and health shocks at the end of life, provide incentives toward planning. In addition, planning affects wealth levels as well as portfolio choice. Individuals who plan are more likely to hold large amounts of wealth and to invest their wealth in high return assets, such as stocks. Thus, planning plays an important role in explaining the saving behavior of many households.

Suggested Citation

  • Annamaria Lusardi, 2000. "Explaining Why So Many Households Do Not Save," Working Papers 0001, Harris School of Public Policy Studies, University of Chicago.
    • Handle: RePEc:har:wpaper:0001
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    2. HILDEBRAND Vincent, 2001. "Wealth Accumulation of US Households: What do we learn from the SIPP data?," IRISS Working Paper Series 2001-01, IRISS at CEPS/INSTEAD.
    3. Luca Agnello & Nikola Altiparmakov & Michal Andrle & Maria Grazia Attinasi & Jan Babeck� & Salvador Barrios & John Bluedorn & Vladimir Borgy & Othman Bouabdallah & Andries Brandsma & Adi Brender & V, 2016. "Beyond the austerity dispute: new priorities for fiscal policy," Workshop and Conferences 20, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
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    6. Tomar, Sweta & Kent Baker, H. & Kumar, Satish & Hoffmann, Arvid O.I., 2021. "Psychological determinants of retirement financial planning behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 432-449.
    7. Normann, Marcel & Langer, Thomas, 2001. "Altersvorsorge, Konsumwunsch und mangelnde Selbstdisziplin : zur Relevanz deskriptiver Theorien für die Gestaltung von Altersvorsorgeprodukten," Papers 01-40, Sonderforschungsbreich 504.
    8. Andrea Repetto, 2001. "Incentivos al ahorro personal: Lecciones de la economía del comportamiento," Central Banking, Analysis, and Economic Policies Book Series, in: Felipe Morandé & Rodrigo Vergara & Norman Loayza (Series Editor) & Klaus Schmidt-Hebbel (Series Edit (ed.),Análisis Empírico del Ahorro en Chile, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 7, pages 191-240, Central Bank of Chile.
    9. Cagetti, Marco & De Nardi, Mariacristina, 2008. "Wealth Inequality: Data And Models," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 12(S2), pages 285-313, September.
    10. Fang Yang, 2005. "Accounting for the heterogeneity in retirement wealth," Working Papers 638, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis.
    11. A Lusardi & J Skinner & S Venti, 2001. "Saving puzzles and saving policies in the United States," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 17(1), pages 95-115, Spring.
    12. Mauro Mastrogiacomo, 2004. "On Expectations, Realizations and Partial Retirement," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 04-052/3, Tinbergen Institute.
    13. Shane Enete & Martin Seay & Sarah Asebedo & David Wang & Megan McCoy, 2022. "Understanding the influence of emotion on both time and money: applying the broaden and build theory," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 2(5), pages 1-24, May.
    14. Martin Browning & Thomas F. Crossley, 2001. "The Life-Cycle Model of Consumption and Saving," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 15(3), pages 3-22, Summer.
    15. John Ameriks & Andrew Caplin & John Leahy, 2003. "Wealth Accumulation and the Propensity to Plan," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 118(3), pages 1007-1047.
    16. Douglas A. Hershey & Kène Henkens & Hendrik P. van Dalen, 2006. "Mapping the Minds of Retirement Planners," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 06-038/1, Tinbergen Institute.
    17. Andreas Waldkirch & Serena Ng & Donald Cox, 2004. "Intergenerational Linkages in Consumption Behavior," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 39(2).
    18. Margherita Borella & Flavia Coda Moscarola & Mariacristina Rossi, 2014. "(Un)expected retirement and the consumption puzzle," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 733-751, September.
    19. Margaret Clancy & Jami Curley & Michal Grinstein-Weiss & Lissa Johnson & Mark Schreiner & Michael Sherraden & Min Zhan, 2001. "Asset accumulation in low-resource households: evidence from individual development accounts," Proceedings 799, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    20. Normann, Marcel & Langer, Thomas, 2001. "Altersvorsorge, Konsumwunsch und mangelnde Selbstdisziplin: Zur Relevanz deskriptiver Theorien für die Gestaltung von Altersvorsorgeprodukten," Sonderforschungsbereich 504 Publications 01-40, Sonderforschungsbereich 504, Universität Mannheim;Sonderforschungsbereich 504, University of Mannheim.
    21. David Card & Michael Ransom, 2011. "Pension Plan Characteristics and Framing Effects in Employee Savings Behavior," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 93(1), pages 228-243, February.
    22. Jeanne M. Hogarth & Chris E. Anguelov & Jinkook Lee, 2003. "Why Households Don’t Have Checking Accounts," Economic Development Quarterly, , vol. 17(1), pages 75-94, February.

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