Optimal Portfolio Choice over the Life-Cycle with Flexible Work, Endogenous Retirement, and Lifetime Payouts

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Penn collection
Business Economics and Public Policy Papers
Degree type
Discipline
Subject
Economics
Finance
Funder
Grant number
License
Copyright date
Distributor
Related resources
Author
Chai, Jingjing
Horneff, Wolfram J
Maurer, Raimond
Mitchell, Olivia S
Contributor
Abstract

We derive optimal life-cycle asset allocations for a consumer who selects hours of work and retirement age, given uncertain labor income and investment returns. Shocks in labor income and capital markets interact to influence retirement and asset allocation patterns in complex ways. When workers can adjust work hours and retirement flexibly, and they also have access to lifetime payout markets, they will respond to negative labor market shocks and high stock returns by working less while young, buying more annuities, and retiring early; this flexibility enhances welfare. Further, our model is able to fit several important empirical stylized facts, such as the two peaks in retirement rates, the hump-shaped pattern of work hours, the sizeable discontinuity in consumption at retirement, and the low annuity take-ups of older households.

Advisor
Date Range for Data Collection (Start Date)
Date Range for Data Collection (End Date)
Digital Object Identifier
Series name and number
Publication date
2011-07-01
Journal title
Review of Finance
Volume number
Issue number
Publisher
Publisher DOI
Journal Issue
Comments
Recommended citation
Collection