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Risk Aversion and Planning Horizon

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  • Bommier, Antoine
  • Rochet, Jean-Charles

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.
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  • Bommier, Antoine & Rochet, Jean-Charles, 2003. "Risk Aversion and Planning Horizon," IDEI Working Papers 204, Institut d'Économie Industrielle (IDEI), Toulouse, revised Nov 2004.
    • Handle: RePEc:ide:wpaper:3411
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Skander J. van den Heuvel, 2008. "Temporal risk aversion and asset prices," Finance and Economics Discussion Series 2008-37, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System (U.S.).
    2. 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.
    3. Anne Lavigne, 2006. "Gouvernance et investissement des fonds de pension privés aux Etats-Unis," Working Papers halshs-00081401, HAL.
    4. 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.
    5. 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.
    6. Antoine Bommier, 2008. "Rational Impatience ?," Working Papers hal-00441880, HAL.
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    8. 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.
    9. Paolo Guasoni & Yu-Jui Huang, 2019. "Consumption, investment and healthcare with aging," Finance and Stochastics, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 313-358, April.
    10. 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.
    11. Antoine Bommier, 2013. "Life-Cycle Preferences Revisited," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 11(6), pages 1290-1319, December.
    12. 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.
    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. 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.
    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. 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.
    19. 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.
    20. Brian Lucey & Charles Larkin, 2012. "Risk Tolerance and Demographic Characteristics: Preliminary Irish Evidence," The Institute for International Integration Studies Discussion Paper Series iiisdp406, IIIS.
    21. Antoine Bommier, 2006. "Mortality, Time Preference and Life-Cycle Models," Working Papers hal-00441888, HAL.
    22. 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.

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    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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