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Life-cycle Portfolio Choice: the Role of Heterogeneous Under-diversification

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  • Claudio Campanale

    (University of Alicante)

Abstract

The standard life-cycle portfolio choice model assumes that all agents invest in a diversified stock market index. In contrast recent empirical evidence, summarized in Campbell (2006) suggests that households' financial portfolios are under-diversified and that there is substantial heterogeneity in diversification. In the present paper I examine the effects of heterogeneous under-diversification in a life-cycle portfolio choice model with fixed per period participation costs and progressive social security. Progressive social security has a minor negative effect on participation rates and creates a negative relationship between stock share and permanent income/education. Realistically calibrated under-diversification generates moderate participation rates and conditional stock shares that are comparable with the empirical evidence. Moreover when it is negatively related to wealth or education it restores the positive relationship between income/education and equity shares found in the data.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudio Campanale, 2007. "Life-cycle Portfolio Choice: the Role of Heterogeneous Under-diversification," CeRP Working Papers 63, Center for Research on Pensions and Welfare Policies, Turin (Italy).
    • Handle: RePEc:crp:wpaper:63
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    2. Thomas Post & Helmut Gründl & Joan T. Schmit & Anja Zimmer, 2014. "The Impact of Investment Behaviour for Individual Welfare," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 81(321), pages 15-47, January.
    3. Zhou, Jie, 2012. "Life-cycle stock market participation in taxable and tax-deferred accounts," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 36(11), pages 1814-1829.

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