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The Stability and Predictive Power of Financial Literacy: Evidence from Longitudinal Data

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  • Lusardi, Annamaria
  • Angrisani, Marco
  • Burke, Jeremy
  • Mottola, Gary

Abstract

We administered the FINRA Foundation’s National Financial Capability Study questionnaire to members of the RAND American Life Panel (ALP) in 2012 and 2018. Using this unique, longitudinal data set, we investigate the evolution of financial literacy over time and shed light on the causal effect of financial knowledge on financial outcomes. Over a six-year observation period, financial literacy appears to be rather stable, with a slight tendency to decline at older ages. Moreover and importantly, financial literacy has significant predictive power for future financial outcomes, even after controlling for baseline outcomes and a wide set of demographics and individual characteristics that influence financial decision making. This estimated relationship is significantly stronger for older individuals, for women, and for those with lower income than for their counterparts in the study. Altogether, our findings suggest that differences in the stock of financial knowledge may lead to increasing inequality over the life course.

Suggested Citation

  • Lusardi, Annamaria & Angrisani, Marco & Burke, Jeremy & Mottola, Gary, 2020. "The Stability and Predictive Power of Financial Literacy: Evidence from Longitudinal Data," CEPR Discussion Papers 15467, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:15467
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    1. John Ameriks & Andrew Caplin & John Leahy, 2003. "Wealth Accumulation and the Propensity to Plan," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 118(3), pages 1007-1047.
    2. Annamaria Lusardi & Olivia S. Mitchell, 2014. "The Economic Importance of Financial Literacy: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 52(1), pages 5-44, March.
    3. Justine S. Hastings & Brigitte C. Madrian & William L. Skimmyhorn, 2013. "Financial Literacy, Financial Education, and Economic Outcomes," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 5(1), pages 347-373, May.
    4. Angrisani, Marco & Lee, Jinkook, 2019. "Cognitive decline and household financial decisions at older ages," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 13(C), pages 86-101.
    5. Maximilian D. Schmeiser & Jason S. Seligman, 2013. "Using the Right Yardstick: Assessing Financial Literacy Measures by Way of Financial Well-Being," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 243-262, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kai Ruggeri & Amma Panin & Milica Vdovic & Bojana Većkalov & Nazeer Abdul-Salaam & Jascha Achterberg & Carla Akil & Jolly Amatya & Kanchan Amatya & Thomas Lind Andersen & Sibele D. Aquino & Arjoon Aru, 2022. "The globalizability of temporal discounting," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(10), pages 1386-1397, October.
    2. Bucher-Koenen, Tabea & Alessie, Rob & Lusardi, Annamaria & van Rooij, Maarten, 2021. "Fearless Woman: Financial Literacy and Stock Market Participation," ZEW Discussion Papers 21-015, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    3. Swensen, Isaac D. & Urban, Carly, 2023. "Literature Review on the Effect of Physical and Mental Health on Financial Well-Being," IZA Policy Papers 198, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    4. Carolyn St Aubyn, 2022. "Consumer choices with wealth preferences and separation of consumption and payment," BCAM Working Papers 2201, Birkbeck Centre for Applied Macroeconomics.
    5. Blanco, Luisa R. & Hernandez, Isaias & Thames, April D. & Chen, Lucia & Serido, Joyce, 2023. "Mind your money: A community-based digital intervention for improving financial capability among Hispanics," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 629-643.
    6. Kai Ruggeri & Amma Panin & Milica Vdovic & Bojana Većkalov & Nazeer Abdul-Salaam & Jascha Achterberg & Carla Akil & Jolly Amatya & Kanchan Amatya & Thomas Lind Andersen & Sibele D. Aquino & Arjoon Aru, 2022. "The globalizability of temporal discounting," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 6(10), pages 1386-1397, October.
      • Kai Ruggeri & Amma Panin & Milica Vdovic & Bojana Većkalov & Nazeer Abdul-Salaam & Jascha Achterberg & Carla Akil & Jolly Amatya & Kanchan Amatya & Thomas Lind Andersen & Sibele D Aquino & Arjoon Arun, 2022. "The globalizability of temporal discounting," Post-Print halshs-03903193, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Financial literacy; Personal finance; Financial well-being;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G51 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Household Savings, Borrowing, Debt, and Wealth
    • G53 - Financial Economics - - Household Finance - - - Financial Literacy
    • D14 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Saving; Personal Finance

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