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Does Consumption Decline at Retirement?: Evidence from Repeated Cross-Section Data for Germany

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  • Martin Beznoska
  • Viktor Steiner

Abstract

The life-cycle hypothesis implies that consumption would not decline at retirement. However, several studies found relevant declines in food consumption after retirement for the United States. Others concluded that this contradiction of the life-cycle hypothesis is solved by allowing for broader measures of consumption than food. Using repeated cross-section data for Germany, this paper analyzes the retirement consumption puzzle for the German case. For our broadest consumption measure, which includes the flow of durables' consumption, we find, on average, no significant consumption decline at retirement. This also holds if the potential endogeneity of indidual retirement is controlled for in instrumental variable regressions. We also find heterogeneity in retirement effects among birth cohorts, the level of household wealth, and the level of consumption, but these effects do not support the hypothesis that retirement is associated with a strong reduction of consumption among poorer households.

Suggested Citation

  • Martin Beznoska & Viktor Steiner, 2012. "Does Consumption Decline at Retirement?: Evidence from Repeated Cross-Section Data for Germany," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1220, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp1220
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    Cited by:

    1. Christian Dudel & Notburga Ott & Martin Werding, 2013. "Maintaining One's Living Standard at Old Age: What Does that Mean? Evidence Using Panel Data from Germany," CESifo Working Paper Series 4223, CESifo.
    2. Moritz Schularick & Paul Wachtel, 2012. "The Making of America's Imbalances," Working Papers 12-09, New York University, Leonard N. Stern School of Business, Department of Economics.
    3. Miriam Beblo & Sven Schreiber, 2022. "Leisure and housing consumption after retirement: new evidence on the life-cycle hypothesis," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 20(1), pages 305-330, March.
    4. Hattendorff, Christian, 2012. "Do natural resource sectors rely less on external finance than manufacturing sectors?," Discussion Papers 2012/17, Free University Berlin, School of Business & Economics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Retirement consumption puzzle; life-cycle hypothesis; wealth effects; repeated cross-section data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • D91 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics - - - Role and Effects of Psychological, Emotional, Social, and Cognitive Factors on Decision Making
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household
    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions

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