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Optimal Annuity Purchases for Australian Retirees

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  • Fedor Iskhakov
  • Susan Thorp
  • Hazel Bateman

Abstract

type="main" xml:id="ecor12183-abs-0001"> We develop and simulate a stochastic lifecycle model to investigate optimal annuity purchases at retirement. Retirees can invest in risky assets, purchase fairly priced immediate or deferred lifetime annuities, and are eligible for a targeted safety net pension. We match baseline parameters to current Australian settings and conduct scenario analyses over a wide range of individual preferences and financial market outcomes. Except where individuals need to insure a consumption floor, both immediate and deferred annuity purchases are largely crowded out by the means-tested public pension. Welfare losses caused by zero annuitisation are small compared with the losses caused by completely annuitising all savings, particularly if wealth at retirement is low. Decumulation policy should ensure individuals are well informed of the insurance value of annuities and accommodate diverse choices.

Suggested Citation

  • Fedor Iskhakov & Susan Thorp & Hazel Bateman, 2015. "Optimal Annuity Purchases for Australian Retirees," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 91(293), pages 139-154, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:ecorec:v:91:y:2015:i:293:p:139-154
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/ecor.2015.91.issue-293
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Bütler, Monika & Peijnenburg, Kim & Staubli, Stefan, 2017. "How much do means-tested benefits reduce the demand for annuities?," Journal of Pension Economics and Finance, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(4), pages 419-449, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Andréasson, Johan G. & Shevchenko, Pavel V. & Novikov, Alex, 2017. "Optimal consumption, investment and housing with means-tested public pension in retirement," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 32-47.
    2. Johan G. Andreasson & Pavel V. Shevchenko, 2016. "The 2015-2017 policy changes to the means-tests of Australian Age Pension: implication to decisions in retirement," Papers 1611.08330, arXiv.org.
    3. Geoffrey J Warren, 2022. "Design of comprehensive income products for retirement using utility functions," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 47(1), pages 105-134, February.
    4. Zhang, Jinhui & Purcal, Sachi & Wei, Jiaqin, 2021. "Optimal life insurance and annuity demand under hyperbolic discounting when bequests are luxury goods," Insurance: Mathematics and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 101(PA), pages 80-90.
    5. Adam Butt & Gaurav Khemka & Geoffrey J. Warren, 2019. "What Dividend Imputation Means for Retirement Savers," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 95(309), pages 181-199, June.
    6. Geoffrey Kingston & Susan Thorp, 2019. "Superannuation in Australia: A Survey of the Literature," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 95(308), pages 141-160, March.
    7. Hazel Bateman & Ralph Stevens & Jennifer Alonso Garcia & Eduard Ponds, 2018. "Learning to Value Annuities: The Role of Information and Engagement," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/300030, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    8. Butt, Adam & Khemka, Gaurav & Warren, Geoffrey J., 2022. "Heterogeneity in optimal investment and drawdown strategies in retirement," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    9. Hazel Bateman & Inka Eberhardt, 2024. "How Fact Sheets affect retirement income product knowledge, perceptions and choices," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 49(2), pages 119-141, May.
    10. Johan G. Andréasson & Pavel V. Shevchenko, 2017. "Assessment of Policy Changes to Means-Tested Age Pension Using the Expected Utility Model: Implication for Decisions in Retirement," Risks, MDPI, vol. 5(3), pages 1-21, September.
    11. Barbara Chambers & Ruth Walker & Jun Feng & Yuanyuan Gu, 2021. "The silver tsunami: an enquiry into the financial needs, preferences and behaviours of retirees," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(1), pages 645-687, March.
    12. Johan G. Andreasson & Pavel V. Shevchenko & Alex Novikov, 2016. "Optimal Consumption, Investment and Housing with Means-tested Public Pension in Retirement," Papers 1606.08984, arXiv.org.
    13. Gaurav Khemka & Yifu Tang & Geoffrey J. Warren, 2021. "The ‘right’ level for the superannuation guarantee: identifying the key considerations," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(3), pages 4435-4474, September.
    14. Anthony Asher & Ramona Meyricke & Susan Thorp & Shang Wu, 2017. "Age pensioner decumulation: Responses to incentives, uncertainty and family need," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 42(4), pages 583-607, November.
    15. Wenqi Ai & Adam Butt & Gaurav Khemka, 2024. "Interaction Between Age Pension Means Testing and Innovative Income Streams in Australia," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 100(331), pages 533-567, December.
    16. Jinhui Zhang & Sachi Purcal & Jiaqin Wei, 2017. "Optimal Time to Enter a Retirement Village," Risks, MDPI, vol. 5(1), pages 1-20, March.
    17. Federica Teppa & Susan Thorp & Hazel Bateman, 2015. "Family, friends and framing: A cross-country study of subjective survival expectations," DNB Working Papers 491, Netherlands Central Bank, Research Department.

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