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Retirement Contribution Rate Nudges and Plan Participation: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Jacob Goldin
  • Tatiana Homonoff
  • Will Tucker-Ray

Abstract

Simple interventions like changing the default or sending a short message can induce individuals to save more for retirement. However, messages that emphasize high savings rates may increase the amount that savings plan participants save while reducing the total number of plan participants. We study this possibility in the context of a field experiment designed to increase retirement savings by US military service-members. We find that service-members who received a message emphasizing a low contribution rate were more likely to participate in a savings plan than were service-members whose message emphasized a high contribution rate, or no rate at all.

Suggested Citation

  • Jacob Goldin & Tatiana Homonoff & Will Tucker-Ray, 2017. "Retirement Contribution Rate Nudges and Plan Participation: Evidence from a Field Experiment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(5), pages 456-461, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aecrev:v:107:y:2017:i:5:p:456-61
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/aer.p20171059
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Liu, Jia & Sonntag, Axel & Zizzo, Daniel John, 2022. "Information defaults in repeated public good provision," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 356-369.
    2. Olckers, Matthew, 2021. "On track for retirement?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 76-88.
    3. John Beshears & James J. Choi & David Laibson & Brigitte C. Madrian & William L. Skimmyhorn, 2022. "Borrowing to Save? The Impact of Automatic Enrollment on Debt," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 77(1), pages 403-447, February.
    4. Goldin, Jacob & Homonoff, Tatiana & Patterson, Richard & Skimmyhorn, William, 2020. "How much to save? Decision costs and retirement plan participation," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    5. Robert L. Clark & Robert G. Hammond & Melinda S. Morrill & Christelle Khalaf, 2019. "Informing Retirement Savings Decisions: A Field Experiment On Supplemental Plans," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 57(1), pages 188-205, January.
    6. John V. Duca & Mark Walker, 2022. "Why Has U.S. Stock Ownership Doubled Since the Early 1980s? Equity Participation Over the Past Half Century," Working Papers 2222, Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
    7. Christos I. Giannikos & Efstathia D. Korkou, 2023. "Gender and Risk-Taking in the Building of U.S. Retirement Wealth," Atlantic Economic Journal, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 51(4), pages 259-274, December.
    8. Robert L. Clark & Robert G. Hammond & Melinda Sandler Morrill & Christelle Khalaf, 2017. "Nudging Retirement Savings: A Field Experiment on Supplemental Plans," NBER Working Papers 23679, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance
    • J26 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Retirement; Retirement Policies
    • J45 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Public Sector Labor Markets

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