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Precautionary Saving and Consumption Smoothing Across Time and Possibilities

Author

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  • Miles Kimball

    (SRC - Survery Research Center - University of Michigan [Ann Arbor] - University of Michigan System)

  • Philippe Weil

    (OFCE - Observatoire français des conjonctures économiques (Sciences Po) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po)

Abstract

This Paper examines how aversion to risk and aversion to intertemporal substitution determines the strength of the precautionary saving motive in a two-period model with Kreps-Porteus preferences. For small risks, we derive a measure of the strength of the precautionary saving motive, which generalizes the concept of 'prudence' introduced by Kimball (1990b). For large risks, we show that decreasing absolute risk aversion guarantees that the precautionary saving motive is stronger than risk aversion, regardless of the elasticity of intertemporal substitution. Holding risk preferences fixed, the extent to which the precautionary saving motive is stronger than risk aversion increases with the elasticity of intertemporal substitution. We derive sufficient conditions for a change in risk preferences alone to increase the strength of the precautionary saving motive and for the strength of the precautionary saving motive to decline with wealth. Within the class of constant elasticity of intertemporal substitution, constant-relative risk aversion utility functions, these conditions are also necessary.

Suggested Citation

  • Miles Kimball & Philippe Weil, 2003. "Precautionary Saving and Consumption Smoothing Across Time and Possibilities," SciencePo Working papers Main hal-01065066, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:spmain:hal-01065066
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal-sciencespo.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01065066
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumption; intertemporal substitution; Kreps-Porteus; precautionary; risk aversion; saving; smoothing and uncertainty;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • D11 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Theory

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