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Personality Traits and Economic Preparation for Retirement

Author

Listed:
  • Michael D. Hurd

    (RAND)

  • Angela Lee Duckworth

    (University of Pennsylvania)

  • Susann Rohwedder

    (RAND)

  • David R. Weir

    (Survey Research Center, University of Michigan)

Abstract

This paper assesses the effects of personality traits on economic preparation for retirement, wealth accumulation, and consumption, among persons 66 to 69 years of age. Among the five chief personality traits of neuroticism, extroversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness, we focus most on conscientiousness. We find levels of adequate economic preparation for retirement ranging from 29 percent to 90 percent and that conscientiousness positively affects the proportion of persons adequately prepared for retirement, while neuroticism negatively affects it. Both consumption and wealth increase with conscientiousness but wealth increases faster, indicating that more conscientious persons save more out of retirement resources.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael D. Hurd & Angela Lee Duckworth & Susann Rohwedder & David R. Weir, 2012. "Personality Traits and Economic Preparation for Retirement," Working Papers wp279, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center.
    • Handle: RePEc:mrr:papers:wp279
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Jones, A.M.; & Rice, N.; & Robone, S.;, 2018. "The effect of health shocks on financial risk preferences differs by personality traits," Health, Econometrics and Data Group (HEDG) Working Papers 18/07, HEDG, c/o Department of Economics, University of York.
    2. Marco Angrisani & Michael D. Hurd & Erik Meijer & Andrew M. Parker & Susann Rohwedder, 2013. "Labor Force Transitions at Older Ages: The Roles of Work Environment and Personality," Working Papers wp295, University of Michigan, Michigan Retirement Research Center.
    3. Montizaan, R.M. & de Grip, A. & Fouarge, D., 2015. "Training access, reciprocity, and expected retirement age," Research Memorandum 005, Maastricht University, Graduate School of Business and Economics (GSBE).
    4. Grevenbrock, Nils & Groneck, Max & Ludwig, Alexander & Zimper, Alexander, 2015. "Biased Survival Beliefs, Psychological and Cognitive Explanations, and the Demand for Life Insurances," VfS Annual Conference 2015 (Muenster): Economic Development - Theory and Policy 113203, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    5. Rice, Nigel & Robone, Silvana, 2022. "The effects of health shocks on risk preferences: Do personality traits matter?," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 356-371.
    6. Börsch-Supan, Axel & Bucher-Koenen, Tabea & Hurd, Michael D. & Rohwedder, Susann, 2023. "Saving regret and procrastination," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    7. Meryl Motika, 2019. "Personality Traits and Low Wealth at Retirement," Eastern Economic Journal, Palgrave Macmillan;Eastern Economic Association, vol. 45(3), pages 464-476, June.
    8. Hurd, Michael D. & Rohwedder, Susann, 2023. "Spending trajectories after age 65 variation by initial wealth," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 26(C).
    9. Edouard A. Ribes, 2022. "Financial planning and optimal retirement timing for physically intensive occupations," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 2(8), pages 1-28, August.

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