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Financial knowledge and 401(k) investment performance: a case study

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  • CLARK, ROBERT
  • LUSARDI, ANNAMARIA
  • MITCHELL, OLIVIA S.

Abstract

We explore whether investors who are more financially knowledgeable earn more on their retirement plan investments compared with their less sophisticated counterparts, using a unique new dataset linking administrative data on investment performance and financial knowledge. Results show that the most financially knowledgeable investors: (a) held 18% points more stock than their least knowledgeable counterparts; (b) could anticipate earning 8 basis points per month more in excess returns; (c) had 40% higher portfolio volatility; and (d) held portfolios with about 38% less idiosyncratic risk, as compared with their least savvy counterparts. Our results are qualitatively similar after controlling on observables as well as modeling sample selection. We also examine portfolio changes to assess the potential impact of the financial literacy intervention. Controlling on other factors, those who elected to take the financial literacy survey boosted their equity allocations by 66 basis points and their monthly expected excess returns rose by 2.3 basis points; no significant difference in volatility or non-systematic risk was detected before versus after the survey. While these findings relate to only one firm, we anticipate that they may spur other efforts to enhance financial knowledge in the workplace.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:jpenef:v:16:y:2017:i:03:p:324-347_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Milo Bianchi, 2018. "Financial Literacy and Portfolio Dynamics," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 73(2), pages 831-859, April.
    2. 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.
    3. Andriy Tsapin & Oleksandr Faryna, 2024. "The Role of Financial Literacy in Anchoring Inflation Expectations: The Case of Ukraine," Working Papers 02/2024, National Bank of Ukraine.
    4. Biwei Chen & Christos I. Giannikos & Jun Lou, 2023. "Is More Financial Literacy Always Beneficial? An Investigation through a Mediator," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-10, January.
    5. 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.
    6. Fong, Joelle H. & Koh, Benedict SK. & Mitchell, Olivia S. & Rohwedder, Susann, 2019. "Financial literacy and suboptimal financial decisions at older ages," CFS Working Paper Series 630, Center for Financial Studies (CFS).
    7. Seth Neumuller & Casey Rothschild, 2017. "Financial Sophistication and Portfolio Choice over the Life Cycle," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 26, pages 243-262, October.
    8. Dekui Jia & Ruihai Li & Shibo Bian & Christopher Gan, 2021. "Financial Planning Ability, Risk Perception and Household Portfolio Choice," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 57(8), pages 2153-2175, June.
    9. Tyrowicz, Joanna, 2020. "Are incentivized old-age savings schemes effective under incomplete rationality?," VfS Annual Conference 2020 (Virtual Conference): Gender Economics 224526, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    10. Calcagno, Riccardo & Giofré, Maela & Urzì-Brancati, Maria Cesira, 2017. "To trust is good, but to control is better: How investors discipline financial advisors’ activity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 287-316.
    11. Li, Xiao, 2020. "When financial literacy meets textual analysis: A conceptual review," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(C).
    12. Ismael Choinière-Crèvecoeur & Pierre-Carl Michaud, 2023. "Reverse Mortgages and Financial Literacy," CIRANO Working Papers 2023s-06, CIRANO.
    13. Talpsepp, Tõnn & Liivamägi, Kristjan & Vaarmets, Tarvo, 2020. "Academic abilities, education and performance in the stock market," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    14. Buss, Adrian & Vilkov, Grigory & Uppal, Raman, 2020. "Investor Sophistication and Portfolio Dynamics," CEPR Discussion Papers 15116, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    15. Buschong, René, 2022. "Financial Literacy is associated with Stock Market Expectations but not with Forecast Accuracy: Evidence from Germany," EconStor Preprints 266404, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    16. Jana Schuetz, 2024. "Beliefs about the Gender Pension Gap," Jena Economics Research Papers 2024-004, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    17. Cliff A. Robb & Swarn Chatterjee & Nilton Porto & Brenda J. Cude, 2019. "The Influence of Student Loan Debt on Financial Satisfaction," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 40(1), pages 51-73, March.
    18. Koh, Benedict S.K. & Mitchell, Olivia S. & Fong, Joelle H., 2021. "Trust and retirement preparedness: Evidence from Singapore," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 18(C).
    19. 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.
    20. Hugh Hoikwang Kim & Raimond Maurer & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2019. "How Cognitive Ability and Financial Literacy Shape the Demand for Financial Advice at Older Ages," NBER Working Papers 25750, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    21. Koh, Benedict S.K. & Mitchell, Olivia S. & Rohwedder, Susann, 2020. "Financial knowledge and portfolio complexity in Singapore," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    22. Robert Clark & Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2017. "Employee Financial Literacy And Retirement Plan Behavior: A Case Study," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 55(1), pages 248-259, January.
    23. Joanna Tyrowicz & Krzysztof Makarski & Artur Rutkowski, 2020. "Fiscal incentives to pension savings – are they efficient?," Working Paper series 20-06, Rimini Centre for Economic Analysis.
    24. Lusardi, Annamaria & Michaud, Pierre-Carl & Mitchell, Olivia S., 2020. "Assessing the impact of financial education programs: A quantitative model," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).

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